That alone is a topic! When you are a homeschooler you can fall between the cracks because you are not registered with a local school. And the schools often don't want to include your children because it is not funded. So when it comes to Spelling Bee competitions and Science Fairs, and more importantly Learning Disability Testing kids lose out!
Last fall we received an invite from a school that is blocks from our house. The principle was offering for our homeschool kids to be involved in anything that he was offering: field trips, track days, science clubs, anything! When I got the email I was baffled. In 14 years of homeschooling I have *never* had a public school offer our kids *anything*! So I wrote him and asked him what was the catch.
Well, as it turned out he said that as principal he can offer what he wants to who he wants, and he had a two fold reason for doing this: 1) he wanted to offer the services to get to know the kids, and 2) if we ever enrolled our kids anywhere he was hoping it would be with them.
I have no problem with those reasons! And I can now honestly say that this principal is a gem!! I had a situation happen this week that showed me how so!
We had our invite to the science class and about 20 of us showed up. While there, the principal and the science teacher taught a class on raising beans to sprout. They showed how to do it step by step and how to write up the procedure. They stopped momentarily on science fair information and then went on. The class was very informative and I can't wait for the next opportunity to go back.
After class I approached the teacher about science fairs. He gave us handouts and told me that the kdis had two weeks to finish their science fair entries. This would be the children in public schools. I left thinking that meant that school was having a science fair. So I asked Cassidy if he wanted to be part of a science fair. He said yes.
So we got to work. He chose a topic: batteries - and got hard to work. Two days later I decided I should call the school and make sure he could be part of the school's fair. That was when we got the bad news: that school was not having a science fair! Ack!! What to do.
The principal was simply amazing!!!! He said he would see what he could do. He was pleased to see that Cassidy was excited about science and he was not willing to see him not participate. So he called another school in our district and asked her.
Meanwhile, Cassidy kept working hard. He knew the schedule he had been given showed that the students had seven weeks to meander their way through the science fair projects, and he knew that he only had 10 days! His days were filled with science. Cooking and cleaning were put off to brothers, which I did not feel bad about since they will be leaving their chores when they go away for six weeks this summer!
Cassidy got up every morning and got to work right away. His days have been on til 11:00, 12:00 pm or even 1:00 am! He is determined to get this project done and do the best he can. I know he can do it, as he is one of those kids that is determined, creative, thoughtful, and makes a fantastic effort. I am very impressed with what he has put out and know that he will do well.
When I spoke to the principal of the local school I told him I was concerned because I had read that only one student would be selected to go on to the District competition, and I knew it would be harder on Cassidy, the students involved and the teachers if an 'outsider' came in and fought for that spot.
I was really impressed because the principal of the other school had talked to the man in charge of the science competition and it had been decided that though they were accepting Cassidy as a 'outside' student it wouldn't make things hard for the other students. They would mark him down as a student from our local school, and if he won, they would also choose from the rest of the student body - meaning: his participation would not take from the local school!
This is a pioneering moment! I am hopeful that this means we can get in on Spelling Bees and such in future. In the meanwhile, Cassidy has learned SO MUCH about: hypothesis, variables, constants, purposes, scientific methods etc!
All I can say is I am sure he is sick of his camera!! He is judging three different sets of batteries: Super Source Alkaline, Energizer Max Alkaline, and Energizer Lithium. They are priced very differently: $3.79, $4.59, and $16.99 - but you would be very surprised with what he has found out. I will tell you his results when his display has been finished.
For the last four days Cassidy has had to take thousands of pictures!! I am sure he has a sore finger!
Keeping His Results Chart
Making His Results ChartI'll be back with more info when we get finished the competition.
.
3 comments:
How well I remember the science fair days, first with kids then Grandkids I still have projects in the garage. We had a few second place but never got the coveted first place. I sometimes wondered what the judges were looking for when I saw the winners but win or lose Cassidy you are still a winner because look at all that you have learned. I can't wait to hear the result, I often wondered if the expensive ones were any better.
Good Luck from all of us.
Kudos to Cassidy for having the tenacity to finish your project under the deadline! As a parent, I often wondered what the judges were looking for, then a friend, who's son placed in this year's fair, told me to check our this science website. That had tons of tips and all kinds of ideas for experiments! Next year, this is the first stop I am making on the road to the science fair! Here is the website if you want to check it out:http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/category/science-fair We have already tried out a few experiments - they are pretty cool!!!
Very cool!
By the way, TAG your it!
Check out my blog....
Claire
Post a Comment