Pictures don't do justice to this paint job
Back from Jamaica on Sunday last. Monday and Tuesday were warm… Tuesday was 75 degrees. I took the opportunity to take my Harley Ultra Classic to the shop for some Spring servicing. Just in the nick of time, I might add since yesterday the temperature started to drop and we had a dusting of snow last night. This morning, it was 16 degrees. Not quite Spring yet and a good thing he bike is not ready to be picked up. My bike is not a garage princess and I don’t trailer.
All well and good things were. Yesterday Vanessa was at the Psylodelic Museum at the Fur Peace Ranch getting ready for our opening next week with a concert by Marty Balin and his band and a new Gallery showing featuring the art works of Grace Slick. That left me as the learning coach home schooling Izze. Let me tell you… my hat is off to all teachers of young people. It is so important and so hard to do. We are home schooling right now because we have issues with the Common Core Curriculum that our government forces on the states, but I am not going to get into a political diatribe here. Anyway, she is thriving on the accelerated learning that home school allows for so far. We’ll see how this plays out as she gets over the next couple of years.
Those of you who home school, know how arduous and time consuming it is. Vanessa and I are fortunate that our life style allows for this so far.
Yesterday was History… we got feudal Japan and finished her second grade requirements. She is reading at an eighth grade level and her language arts are off the charts. Today is Science… Thank goodness I’ve got the Learning Coach books… I’ve forgotten more than I can remember to tell you about.
Today she is practicing cursive handwriting and then we’re going to do Science. Later this afternoon, it’s ice skating and I’m going to rent a pair of skates and hit the ice with her. It will be the first time in decades for me. We’ll see how that goes.
Being home is more than great… but it is certainly not kicking back as many of my friends seem to think I would do when I get home.
Life is full, time and energy consuming and good…
Off to do some science…
Thanks for bein’ here-for the past 40-some years and especially the last 7 years!! I say this since I’ve been stuck out in the bush of West Africa, far, far away from the city and school in San Francisco!!! The two worlds are so far apart it ain’t even funny but cohesion can be had by such sites like yours!!! Thanks again!!! CC
Hey Chuck…
West Africa… cool man!
I left San Francisco in 1984 when I split up with my ex-wife (may she rest in peace.) I spent 6 tumultuous years in Upstate New York and in 1991 I moved to Southeast Ohio where I have been ever since. I’m an east Coast guy from the D.C. area. California was unbelievable when I moved there in 1962… To be in on the ground floor of what happened in the 60’s was a blessing. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the place and my friends and colleagues. As much as I loved my time there, it was never ‘home’ to me and when I was done, I was done. I always missed the seasons… i don’t mind winter at all… it makes me really appreciate Spring and Summer.
We all have to live somewhere… I’m lucky that I wound up in a place I love dearly… I hope I never have to move again until they put me in the ground.
Thanks for the note Chuck. You be careful out there in the hinterlands.
Inside American Education; The Deception The Deceit and The Dogmas. A great book by Thomas Sowell.
I like how Jorma writes a comment about something or other, then doesn’t “want to start a diatribe”.
Some of us take up and follow through on it and we have a dialog.
These discussions are a quality part of Jorma’s blog and he allows us to pick-up where he left-off. We post comments and then are in a position to know more about each other and have a discussion.
Jorma lets us express ourselves. It is the best use of an internet forum.
Thanks, Jorma!
25 years of service, teaching NYC public school!
Have a happy retirement — you deserve it.@Kate Sullivan
What a great thread with equally great comments. As a public school teacher, I never thought I would be an advocate for home schooling. But as I end my 25th year in the NYC Public Schools, home schooling at this time is the way to go. My school community is made up of approximately 85% immigrant families who are the most supportive and cooperative. Unfortunately, due to language barriers, what they don’t understand is that their children are “lab rats” for experiments that are set up by bureaucrats. Their voices are not strong enough to object and that is exactly the way the powers that be want it. As a Union Leader, it’s painful to see how the joy that new talented teachers possess is stolen from them as a result of them being witnesses to “stupid telling stupid” what to do. The business model of operating schools in NYC has brought in administrators with little or no educational experience. Imagine being a teacher in a school where your Principal was formerly a buyer for Macy’s? Imagine being a teacher in a school where your Principal ran a Day Care Center in the Dominican Republic for three months. This seems to be just fine for the Department of Education. These Principals don’t ask many questions, they are not leaders, they just follow. Okay, I will get off of my soap box and look forward to retirement by the end of June. Retirement will give me time to put down my banjo and pick up the guitar on a more regular basis. A future visit to the Ranch is on my list. Thanks Jorma for bringing up this subject and to all who responded. It’s refreshing to know that it is being addressed.
What is currently happening in the NYC public school system is a shame.
That you continue to care about education is a blessing, in an otherwise education-system wasteland.@Hamneggs
I work Home Instruction (not to be confused with Home Schooling) in NYC now because when they started with No Child Left Behind, never mind Common Core, The powers that be decided to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Of course they pontificate while invoking the name of the children and how it is for the children.
I had a variety of successful alternative approaches , community gardens, reforestation, river keeping, dance , camping and all of this was eviscerated in the name of teaching.
It was like taking the rattle apart to find the magic seeds inside, and when they can’t figure it out the rattle is returned in several pieces and when the baby cries it your fault.
I have always worked and still do with the hardcore of the hardcore in Manhattan and the Bronx.
Peace Love All Ways
Sorry if I’ve rattled on too long
PS for those in NY area the benefit for Slick is tomorrow the 14 at NJPac, Marty is playing and Lou Gramm
Izze is one lucky girl 🙂 Don’t hurt yourself skating 🙂 And I mean that in a good way.
Just love the color of your Harley. Betcha can’t wait to take it for a ride.
Home schooling is difficult, yet worth the effort.
It’s a one-on-one experience between you and your child.
I home-schooled a friend’s kid for a year and the result was better schooling and learning. (I did not school in math because it’s not my best subject, her mom and dad did the math lessons).
Teachers in a school classroom are restricted by the Curriculum and by the need to try to keep disorderly kids in their seats and have them pay attention to the teacher. It’s often a glorified child-care job and not all parents are interested
in even helping with homework.
Lace up them speed skates, J-man!
And nice work on the fairing….
It is hard to do. But the moment when you see in their eyes that they “got” it is wonderful. I remember over 20 years ago, when a dollar bill and four quarters finally put the “fraction” idea over (after pizza, and football games and a 100 other examples).
And that 8th grade level puts her on par with the average adult in the U.S. Great stuff here.
And yeah, if you fall, fall gently….
PS….if you fall, let your butt, and NOT your hands stop your fall 🙂
Learning cursive……GOOD! My local school system is thinking about doing away with the teaching of cursive handwriting…..K….Now I’M about to get into a political diatribe..but I won’t…it’s too pretty a day…have fun with da Science thang
hey Jorma, looking forward to returning to FPR next week. I am a teacher of young people and am concerned about common core as well, do not believe in standards based education so there are many of us out there who follow your sentiments.
Peace and see you soon
Ones a skater, always a skater. Don’t hesitate, you’ve got wings of steel and sure will fly. 🙂 Sa