ET TU, IZZY
From HomeschoolRev:
Electronic Classrooms of Tomorrow
An article about an Ohio lad who does the bulk of his homeschooling through ECOT and whose “classroom” abuts the tattoo shop his parents own.
From the ECOT website:
Welcome to the online information center for the national leader in online K-12 education, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow!
The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) is an online public community school sponsored by the Lucas County (Ohio) Educational Service Center (LCESC).
I’m tweaking Izzy (who’s a friend) a bit, but it really isn’t her fault. I fear the cyber charters have successfully co-opted the word “homeschooling.” I’ll keep reminding the reporters every chance I get that cyber charters aren’t homeschools, but I’m beginning to feel like Don Quixote.
5 Responses to “ET TU, IZZY”
![]() Comment by Tim Haas January 28th, 2005 at 12:14 pm |
I’m tellin’ ye, let’s adopt “home education” and “home educators” from the British — it gets that nasty “school” word out of there and is more accurate to boot. |
![]() Comment by Daryl Cobranchi January 28th, 2005 at 12:22 pm |
I have been using “home educators” for a while here. |
![]() Comment by Mary N. January 28th, 2005 at 2:41 pm |
There are still plenty of OH folks who have not given up on homeschooling yet! The publicly funded cyber-charters have a whole different set of regs and educational philosophy. Just because the reporters and some promoters use the language erroneously does not make it true, does it? Mary |
![]() Comment by Daryl Cobranchi January 28th, 2005 at 9:30 pm |
What’s “true” when it comes to a word? An example- the original meaning of “stem winder” was a rousing political speech. The meaning has gradually morphed so that now it is often used to mean the exact opposite- a speech that is so boring one feels a need to check to make sure that one’s watch is still running. If a word can take on it’s exact opposite meaning, what chance do we have of holding back the tide for an expanded definition of “homeschooling”? We know the difference, but to outsiders cyber-charter students look just like homeschoolers. Heck, some homeschoolers use K-12 curriculum just like a lot of cybers. So, how do you explain in 10 words or less the difference? Mary, I’m on your side. I signed the “We Stand for Homeschooling” document. I’ve written LttE and railed on the blog here that cyber charters aren’t homeschooling. I wish I thought any of it was making a difference. Helen says some things are in the works. I’ll be rooting for her and willing to help however I can. I just fear that it’s too late. |
![]() Comment by Mary N. January 29th, 2005 at 12:31 pm |
Hi Daryl, Maybe for the masses it is too late, but I continue to meet folks who are new to whatever you call the freedom to live and learn freely with their families. I think we must continue to attempt to make what it represents very clear so those new families coming to homeschooling are not confused by the P.R. and the morphing of the word. So many enroll in this new branch of public school and are told they are homeschooling. When we started out years and years ago it was vital that we know our rights and responsibilities. Perhaps it is even more vital now. Certainly it is more critical than test scores, educational philosophies or curriculum choices. We must know our rights and we must take the time to let others know how important it is to know them too. Homeschooling may not be the word I chose originally either, but it has come to represent a great deal. As I see it, if we concede to the morphing of the word and meaning of homeschooling, then next they will go after the word and meaning of home-education, etc. etc. and they will continue until even the meaning of the words family,child, childbirth etc. will have lost their meaning. In my opinion, this is not the time for concessions, but for a strong united stand to protect what has served our families well. How do we do that? We tell others, we communicate with our legislators and those that blame homeschoolers for the new public cyber schools. We let them know that we know our rights and we claim the rights we have. Mary N. |