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ami*
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 4:02am | IP Logged
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MichelleW wrote:
Ok, I resubbed this morning and I sent back the activation email, and I am still blocked from the forums tonight. How long did it take you all to be activated? I am pretty sure I was never naughty. I can't think why I would be locked out.
Wow, this thread has become a little embarassing. My technological incompetence is really showing. I want all you wonderful, intelligent ladies to know that I appreciate all your help. This has been driving me insane for a few weeks, and somehow, sharing the insanity makes me feel better. |
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I'm sure it is not you. 
It took me about 24 hours, I think, to be activated. Are you submitting a 'real' name. They don't like 'handle' type names like homeschooling_mama.
That's the only thing I can think of. Hopefully this will be resolved soon. If not, I can post in the Help Desk area for you.
Ami
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cathhomeschool
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Texas Bluebonnets
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 7:09am | IP Logged
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I had to resub as well, but I hadn't forgotten my password or username. I think that they deleted a bunch of people (I'm not too active there.  ) when they moved everything.
Michelle, I *think* that once you receive the email, all you have to do is click on the link and you should be active. If you did that and still can't post, it may be something like cookies or needing to add the FIAR site to your "trusted internet sites." Some people have that problem here.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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MaryM
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For what it's worth, Michelle, I decided to subscribe yesterday also and I still am not activated either.
Doesn't this all make you appreciate how wonderful our administrators are here on 4 REAL!!
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 11:52am | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
| Doesn't this all make you appreciate how wonderful our administrators are here on 4 REAL!! |
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LOL That brought a chuckle and a smile to my face, Mary. Of course, I think the head Admin is pretty great, but then my opinion is kinda biased.  The many lady mods. and "admin." helpers are pretty wonderful too! 
Cay Gibson wrote:
Michelle,
Go to the message board and scroll down. You'll see some archives listed there...though I suspect they are not all there. |
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They're not all there. Those archives are for this year. I can't find any of the older stuff. 
At least I printed some of it out way back. And I can't complain either, since I know that file space can be an issue and FIAR's archives must have taken a lot of space. Still...
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 12:22pm | IP Logged
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I think I resubbed in the morning and by nighttime I was activated, but that was a couple weeks ago.
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 1:19pm | IP Logged
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cathhomeschool wrote:
MaryM wrote:
| Doesn't this all make you appreciate how wonderful our administrators are here on 4 REAL!! |
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LOL That brought a chuckle and a smile to my face, Mary. Of course, I think the head Admin is pretty great, but then my opinion is kinda biased. The many lady mods. and "admin." helpers are pretty wonderful too!
Cay Gibson wrote:
Michelle,
Go to the message board and scroll down. You'll see some archives listed there...though I suspect they are not all there. |
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They're not all there. Those archives are for this year. I can't find any of the older stuff.
At least I printed some of it out way back. And I can't complain either, since I know that file space can be an issue and FIAR's archives must have taken a lot of space. Still...
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Here's my take, fwiw. If you read Steve's really long note on how they cannot make money doing things the old way, it makes sense that the archives are not in circulation. I think they they are revamping all the old units and selling them as single book units in a digital format. The plan is to beef up the units from volumes 1-3 to make them more complete like Volume 4. So...my hunch is that they will cull ideas from the archives in order to do that. Those archives were a treasure trove of ideas--far and away more valuable than the original volumes, imo.They can't give away those ideas any more if they are going to make a living selling FIAR digitally.
Steve's letter brings up lots of great points and it reminded me of Harper's decision to make commercially-driven changes to Lissa's books. I can see his point and I certainly don't argue that small curriculum writers and publishers are in tough spot (I'm there with them  ). I'm grateful that homeschool publishing is not our relied-upon source of income here.
That said, I think he's sticking his finger in the dike. It's impossible to keep people from taking digital products. It's impossible to compete and make a real profit. As someone who routinely puts up entire units that are just as complete as FIAR units on a blog for free, I've contributed to the problem. But the problem for someone trying to profit remains: why buy units when they are out there for free?
When I put a unit on my blog to share, that's exactly what I'm doing--sharing. I've been sharing units since I was 19 and my friends Jan and Libby huddled with me in the Curry school library and we wrote literature units together for the classes where we were student teachers. It was all about collaboration and cooperation. It was FUN to share ideas and to bounce things off each other. Synergy was everything and there was no competition. When I throw a unit up on my blog, I know there's a classical school in Alabama (where Jan is principal--how did she get old enough to be a principal?) that will use that unit. And it makes me smile. We're still wearing UVa sweatshirts and staying up way too late doing something we love to do--together.
Honestly, I think that the homeschooling movement will grow and thrive on cooperation over competition. It's people like Michele and Kathryn, who put an entire curriculum up for free, who propel us forward monumentally. They put it up and encouraged people to borrow bits and pieces, to share what worked and what didn't, to help each other along the way. They didn't worry about credit and they didn't worry about cost. They went out on a limb to promote an ideal because the ideal was worth it.
Truly, I found myself inspired and in awe. It wasn't about the credit and it wasn't about a profit. Instead, it was digital support and encouragement for support's and encouragement's sake. We could change the face of home education and change a generation for God if we all worked together that way.
What does that mean for the people who truly want to make homeschool resources their business? I'm not sure. It's quite a problem. But I recall the words of Kimberly Hahn: You can't outgive God. I have to believe that if we continue to share freely without counting cost or credit, God will bless that abundantly.
That brings us to this board and the admin comments above. This board is a labor of love. Lots and lots of ideas are here, more than could ever be a comprehensive book on Catholic home education. I can't say enough what a gift Tim, Janette and the moderators give to women every day.Think about it: if ONE Five in a Row unit is worth $12, how much are the discussions here worth?
Priceless, aren't they?
I just can't thank Tim, Janette, and the other moderators enough. So, thanks for letting me try again .
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Maryan
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Hear hear. 
And I know many of us try to support these small curriculums too... and are TRULY grateful for the "sharing" as well...
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
A Lee in the Woudes
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MichelleW
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I understand where the Lambert's are coming from. I guess it does make sense, but I agree with you Elizabeth, for so many of us education is an art. We want to share the excitement with others. I bought Vol 1-3 of FIAR, Vol 1-3 of Beyond, plus b4 and the cookbook, because I loved the idea. But it was a springboard. I added my own ideas and posted them. I contributed to those archives. I can see now that the archives did belong to FIAR, but at the time I saw those forums as a community where we all contributed to enrich our children's lives. I am sad about it, but I DO "get it."
In addition to thanking the moderators and administrators here, and Michele, Kathryn and Elizabeth, I would also like to thank Amy of homeschoolshare. Though I have never used or contributed there, I've checked the site lately and it looks so well managed and the spirit of community is most certainly alive in that little cyberspot.
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: May 17 2007 at 11:23pm | IP Logged
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I understand the Lambert's position as well, and respect it. And it takes authors into that ever widening debate about whether to work for pay or give for free.
The Internet has changed the written word and the way it is offered and used forever.
The timing of this thread is funny. Tonight we had a wonderful time at our hsers graduation Mass and ceremony. At the reception afterwards I ran into the friend who introduced me to FIAR many years ago, mentored me, and changed my life forever. Other conversations influenced me, of course, and Elizabeth and Regina Doman had a profound influence on me.
Almost the first thing Kimberly said to me was, "I saw on your blog about you and the girls going back to FIAR!!! Isn't it like a breathe of fresh air?"
It was so nice to stand together and chat about FIAR like it was an old friend. It was truly like coming home.
Then I came home and saw this question:
Ana Betty wrote:
I tried Beyond and A&B FIAR and I just couldn't seem to recreate what we had with just FIAR. Have you found that? |
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And I thought about that. I had the same wonderful experience as Ana Betty with Before FIAR and the first volumes. I think the first volumes leave us enough room to go out on our own and let our imaginations flow and create. That's always a nice thing to allow people and I don't think a guide is doing its job if it stifles that creative spark.
And that's what I tried to allow in Catholic Mosaic . Freedom of creativity.
And, as I read the ideas so many of you share so freely at the CM forum here, using your own creativity and the imagination of your children, I often think I didn't do too good of a job. But still, the only way it can become your own and have your children embrace it is for you to add to it and use that spark of creativity energy God gave you.
I also know all the ideas and sharings can't possibly be incorporated into one manual, one guide, one book. There's no way. So the layout is offered...be it FIAR, MA, CM, SL, RL, etc...and you all bring the heart and soul into the mere printed version of a very human endeavor.
That being said, I see where the ideas offered at the CM forum here are an immeasurable blessing to all of us using CM. Sometimes I'll read someone's idea and think, "Oh, wow! Wish I had thought of that!"
But, you know what? I can't think of everything. And the blessing that the forum is offered here is a Christian outreach for giving and sharing.
I started that with Catholic Mosaic orginally. Back in 2004 I had the idea and opened a Yahoo eloop for the discussion and sharing of this idea. It didn't take off well. I don't know if people just couldn't "grasp" the concept or the idea but it didn't go very far.
I remember Alice and Louise B. and Mary Ellen B. and Molly and so many others (I hate name dropping because it leaves too many wonderful people out ) being so wonderfully receptive and eager to share and discuss this idea of mine.
But there wasn't a massive response. So we shared a few ideas and thoughts and I created Catholic Mosaic. I believe Louise helped me name it. I remember giving her a list of titles and asking her opinion.
What I'm getting at is, Internet reading doesn't work for me and, I suspect, it doesn't work for many other readers. I read too fast, and links in the reading material get me in trouble and take me far, far away from the original read.
I prefer to have it in inky black on crispy white paper that I can feel and smell and cuddle in bed with. Sounds like my dog, doesn't it.  That's why I'm so glad that Michele and Kathryn will be offering their curricula in printed form. By the time I cut/paste/copy the free information online, I'll have paid more for the printed copy than I can order it from them.
So I created Catholic Mosaic with the sharing and giving and inspiration I received from my friends at that early inception.
Of course, I wondered if people would be receptive to it; and they have been, because, I guess, people still like something they can grasp. Once they held CM in their hands, they were able to "get it".
Evidently, there are plenty of people who still prefer the tree's roots of reading to the spider's webs of unconnected thought. 
But...without the forums to continue sharing and giving and discussing, there lacks the human soul. Because the soul is not touchable or seeable or feel-able...or smell-able? ...but it sure is inspiring.
That's what the forum brings into the overall "mosaic" picture, and I'm thankful beyond belief that we can share it in good fellowship and good friendship.
I never thought of the ideas and such offered on the forums as "belonging" to anyone. What I put into Catholic Mosaic was pure fun for me. Even the classes (which did take a considerable amount of time and planning and money) was joyful for me. And, in return for all the ideas and suggestions some friends blessed me with, it was just a tiny part of myself that I could offer back to all of you.
Of course, one must pay the proofreader, the illustrator, the ink, the paper, the printing cost. Nothing in life is free. Otherwise, I would gladly have given a copy to each one of you.
I never use anything without giving due credit, if I know where it comes from. In my acknowledgements, I even wrote:
"As no man is an island, neither is a book one person's contribution alone. The author of CM wishes to express her heartfelt thanks to many people who helped bring the pieces of this book together and create the finished mosaic."
And, yes, I even have a special thank you to:
"...the online communities of Real Learning and Literature Alive!"
I didn't mean to turn this thread into a post defending my product. I'm just using my personal experience as an example. God does indeed use us as instruments in sharing His word.
Do I believe that message should be offered in print (ie: costing)? Certainly. Do I think there should also be information offered freely online? Certainly. My publisher has outdone herself in this regard.
My part with CM is done. It is God's to do with as He wills. I would never have considered the ideas offered under the CM forum to belong to me or anyone else. If that were the case, I'd rather have them removed. They belong to us as a whole.
Just my personal, rather lengthy , thoughts...
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 18 2007 at 6:53am | IP Logged
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Cay,
I don't think you should ever feel like you need to defend your product. I am reminded that lots and lots of people don't tap into online resources the way that the women here do. CM brings an entire world of picture book study to Catholic women who may have never considered the idea.
If the Lamberts go entirely digital and allow the printed volumes to go out of print, eventually, there will be people who are not wired to the 'net who might never run across the resource or the concept.
When anyone takes a great idea and then takes it further to get it into print, there is a whole new layer of work and creativity involved. And that has value. Actually, it has value that more readily is assigned a dollar amount, as there are more hard costs involved and there is a precedent for valuing printed materials. We obviously can't give books away.
Michelle mentioned that she'd contributed to the FIAR archives and now her thoughts were property of the Lamberts and they just might sell them. Me too! For a long time, I've wrestled with the idea that my ideas (and sometimes entire columns) were published without my consent or permission. Sometimes, it was acknowledged it was mine. Sometimes, it wasn't. I can google my name and find my columns in places I didn't even know existed.
Since I get paid for the print version of the column, this troubled me. And then there are ideas that show up elsewhere... Very recently, however, I've thought about how ideas--particularly homeschooling ideas--can take hold on one blog and show up several generations later, adapted and changed, on another blog without acknowledgment of the original source. Usually, there is no malicious intent. The blogger just didn't know where the idea originated, so she didn't credit the original blogger. A very wise lady pointed out to me that the idea originated with the Holy Spirit and He inspired the first post. Nothing would please Him more than to see it spread like wildfire. That changed the paradigm for me and I found it liberating. We WANT people to take our ideas!
So, where does that leave Michelle, whose ideas freely given in on the FIAR message board are now likely to show up without compensation in a digital unit that makes money for the Lamberts? Michelle, I think you just did God's work. And the only "treasure" you're likely to see is stored in heaven. That inspiration will still bless people. And, it will bless the Lamberts too. Hey! You just fed the hungry !
I guess what I was getting at is that I realized that if I get caught up in who will get the credit for every idea or who will be compensated for every thought, I could be paralyzed to the point where I don't put anything out there ever. Or I could spend a ridiculous amount of time seeing who has a new twist on my idea and making sure they credit the original source. But I'm not the original source. Ever. God is. If I just do what He tells me and not worry about cost or credit, He'll provide opportunities paid and unpaid to spread good things. God wants us to share without counting the cost. It's very liberating to accept that in a bit of a spirit of poverty and charity and to know that He'll take care of the details.
I don't know if I've done a very good job explaining--it's sort of an understanding that defies explanation. But I do want Cay to know that I absolutely don't think she needs to defend her product. On the contrary, she's done a service to many generations of Catholic children whose mothers never would have known those books and never would have known how to use them to enrich childhood God probably has a copy of Catholic Mosaic in the heavenly library and I'm sure He's eagerly anticipating the release of Christmas Mosiac!
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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Bookswithtea
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This is such a thoughtful discussion. I've been watching the new FIAR forum and had a feeling that the absence of the archives was related to the new digital products.
I just wanted to throw in that while I do use and am eternally grateful for those who share on the net without thought of compensation, I am hopelessly attached to paper and the ability to read on my front porch swing with a glass of iced tea. This message board wouldn't make sense to me without the hard copy of Real Learning that is much worn. I cannot begin to put together ideas from here and come up with something as beautiful and complete as Catholic Mosaic, I wouldn't think twice about purchasing the MA plans in hard copy, and I will be sad if the old FIAR manuals go digital. I need both. So thank you so much, to all of you who share your wonderful units. And thank you also, for those of you who willingly endure the headaches involved with printing and publishing. My children's world would be much poorer without you all. 
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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ami*
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| Posted: May 18 2007 at 9:41am | IP Logged
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Hmmmm....(scratching my head ~lol~)
I didn't notice much missing from the FIAR archives. I am pretty familiar (printed hard copies and made notebooks for the first two volumes).
They are cleaned up (organized very nicely) and the websites that don't work have been taken away...but I didn't notice anything else missing.
For instance, Katy and the Big Snow has
Personification ideas (which I think is generous since that's in the manual)
Websites
3 Video Suggestions
5 Recipe Ideas (which again, I think is generous since they sell their own cookbook)
2 Math Ideas
18ish Supplemental Book Titles
5 Project Ideas
I think that's about what was in there before, isn't it?
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ami*
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| Posted: May 18 2007 at 9:43am | IP Logged
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MichelleW wrote:
I would also like to thank Amy of homeschoolshare. Though I have never used or contributed there, I've checked the site lately and it looks so well managed and the spirit of community is most certainly alive in that little cyberspot.
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You're welcome! I do think the spirit of community is alive at HSS.
I did just want to mention though, that HSS wouldn't exist if it weren't for FIAR. to FIAR for teaching me how to teach and how to find my way within my own homeschool.
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Elizabeth
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| Posted: May 18 2007 at 10:15am | IP Logged
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That's such a good point, Ami. In many ways, FIAR functioned as a "how to unit study" manual.
I thought it was interesting when Steve mentioned how perplexed he was that people were paying so much more for Sonlight and yet they weren't paying for FIAR. Part of that, I think, is that you can stand at the booth and read the manuals and pick their brains and get the idea. Then, if you have a sense about what it is, you really can put together your own unit studies. But people who leave the FIAR booth and go to Sonlight and then purchase aren't those people who are doing their own unit studies. They're the people who want fully planned literature based curriculum. Sonlight is very different from FIAR.
He was also upset about K12. But only 2% of K12's budget (and market) is homeschooling. That's comparing apples and oranges. Though it does tempt homeschool curriculum providers to look at marketing their products for classroom use.
Steve also said KONOS has let all their reps go. Here again, KONOS taught an entire generation HOW to teach. Now, there are lots of things out there that look a lot like KONOS. And it makes me so sad people who worked so hard as pioneers--the Lamberts, the Hulcys, the Hotlzmanns--are stuck in a pickle like this one. Hard copies aren't selling (and there are lots of copies available in the used market) and I don't see how digital is a solution.
Sonlight says they're struggling financially too. Both Sonlight and FIAR have a lot of strength in the their message boards. You start with a sound curricular idea and then it just explodes in the synergy of the message boards. But it's such new territory. On the one hand, I think the boards themselves sell more of the printed product. Oh the other hand, there are so many talented, creative, brilliant people making great suggestions on the boards that you could pretty much piece it all together without the benefit of the books (particularly in the case of FIAR).
Then there is the whole question of who owns the content on the message boards...It would be a shame for people to stop discussing and brainstorming in "public" because they feel owned by someone or they are afraid that what they've shared will be marketed by someone else.
What does the future look like? So many people credit Sonlight and FIAR and KONOS with teaching them how to educate at home. How do those providers stay afloat and how do we go forward with a new generation of homeschoolers?
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: May 18 2007 at 10:29am | IP Logged
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Would you like paper(book) or plastic (electronic)?
There is a similar issue being discussed on the Montessori thread. Despite all of the fantastic sites out there for downloading free Montessori resources (and great ideas here and on blogs) many of us are longing to have in our hands some sort of a unifying big-picture guide. Like Catholic Mosaic or Real Learning do for literature-based studies, it is mentally empowering, not restrictive, to have a scaffold upon which to build. The bricks may come from here and there and everywhere, and the final product may look far different than the original plans called for, but it is so very nice to have those original blueprints to refer to.
So I think there is definitely a place and a need for both types of resources. Electronic resources are great for quick ideas and gaining feedback. But books are for holding, marking up, laying down and pondering and picking up months later to revisit like an old friend. I'd hate to see that go the way of the dinosaur.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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TracyQ
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| Posted: May 19 2007 at 11:22am | IP Logged
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MaryM wrote:
Doesn't this all make you appreciate how wonderful our administrators are here on 4 REAL!! |
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Absolutely! (singing as I type)...The moderators there just ain't what they used to be! (just kidding).
It's a difficult job for sure to moderate, especially since moderators of these wonderful boards are all homeschool moms too! I remember the hours I put into the FIAR boards....sometimes I remember how much I neglected my homeschooling and children as well. It's very difficult to create the balance of serving other homeschoolers while serving your family and homeschool well too!
I also remember the hours I put into those FIAR archives... trying to make them so user friendly and a wonderful resource! I haven't been back to see what they're like now, I've just read what you are all saying about them.
Ah well, such is life............
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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TracyQ
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| Posted: May 19 2007 at 11:31am | IP Logged
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Elizabeth wrote:
I think they they are revamping all the old units and selling them as single book units in a digital format. The plan is to beef up the units from volumes 1-3 to make them more complete like Volume 4. So...my hunch is that they will cull ideas from the archives in order to do that. Those archives were a treasure trove of ideas--far and away more valuable than the original volumes, imo.They can't give away those ideas any more if they are going to make a living selling FIAR digitally.
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While I understand everything you explained, Elizabeth, it's a shame, because it's the people who used the product, and sold SO much FIAR by wonderful word of mouth free adverstising for them who were the ones who shared the ideas they may take and use to sell their product now all these years later???? I do understand the not giving them free in terms of the space they take up that they pay for. But the message boards are also there to help their sales, and the archives are part of that.
But there were years and years of shared ideas, resources, etc. there too, and I know that that's a very difficult thing to maintain, because I was one of the people who once maintained them, and it was daunting to say the least.
They're beefing up volumes 1-3? While I understand that as well as far as trying to make the curriculum more current with more content, I fear this will change the entire purpose and beauty of what FIAR was always all about. I truly believe it was the catalyst for making our children love literature. I'm sad to see it change, even if it's necessary.
Ok, done for now.
__________________
Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
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| Posted: May 19 2007 at 11:37am | IP Logged
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Maybe I misunderstood Tracy (been known to happen ), but I thought Steve's letter said that they were going to make the single-book digital units to be like the Volume 4 units instead of the Volumes 1-3 units. It's such a conundrum!
I completely agree that the message board ladies do so much to sell FIAR! And then other side of that is that a free message board is a priceless resource...
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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TracyQ
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: New York
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Posts: 1323
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| Posted: May 19 2007 at 12:47pm | IP Logged
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I hadn't read Steve's letter when I posted, but just went to read it. I can certainly understand everything he's talking about, and understand why changes need to be made, but it's sad.
It's sad for moms and dads who want to help other homeschoolers, that they can't do it because of all of the problems that come from doing so. It's not like anyone's trying to become rich for goodness sake!
I guess I'm just pining over the past, and sad that FIAR has to change at all, including the volumes 1-3, as I think there was a beauty all of their own in their simplicity and ease of use, and how they brought such love of learning because of the simple treasure they were. I'm sad about the changes for the print books, the message boards, or the archives there. I understand it, but it's just making me melancholy, I think. I'm sure part of that is just that things are changing here...our homeschool, my kids, me....everything. And it's not always easy. It's normal, but not always easy.
I just remember the days when we'd open our FIAR book, and read, and talk, and read and talk, and do some fun projects, and learn, and I miss those times terribly. FIAR was my catalyst to loving literature based learning, and for my kids to love literature too.
I was also saddened to read much of the thread there that followed Steve's letter about how much homeschooling is changing, and the conventions are changing as well. It made me stop to think, which I'm still apparently doing because I'm thinking as I type obviously ............
Ah well, there are never any easy answers, are there????
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Blessings and Peace,
Tracy Q.
wife of Marty for 20 years, mom of 3 wonderful children (1 homeschool graduate, 1 12th grader, and a 9th grader),
homeschooling in 15th year in Buffalo, NY
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MichelleW
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Joined: April 01 2005
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 947
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| Posted: May 20 2007 at 11:58am | IP Logged
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My account was validated. I found the archives, and as Amy said, everything seems to still be there and has been streamlined a bit. Very nice!
This thread has made me think a lot about the resources I use and how I compensate those who make them available. I paid $20 for Elizabeth's book, and I go back and read some part of it almost every month. I paid about $180 for all the FIAR manuals I own, and I have gone back to those manuals again and again for over 5 years. Looking back, I know for certain that in both cases I got a bargain. However, if the cost had been much higher I don't think I could have bought these resources.
I read that we are no longer in the industrial age, but have entered the information age. I guess much of this is growing pains as we all try to figure out who owns what information and how to access and disseminate it. I know that newspapers are struggling as well, now that bloggers report on events earlier and often better than the major news agencies--and for free! Craigslist is replacing classifieds--and it's free! I think that, as a society, we are more reticent to pay for an idea.
As homeschool moms, we have to balance good stewardship with just behavior in a time when much of what is right and legal is undefined. I don't think the balance is always straightforward.
It will be interesting to see what compromises we end up with in terms of accessing information, but I am sorry to see people like the Lamberts and the Holzmans suffering in the vanguard of this era.
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Michelle
Mom to 3 (dd 14, ds 15, and ds 16)
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