Homeschooling in the Ski Lodge

The kids are on Winter break this week. There has been skiing, socializing, organizing and laziness but no time to write posts! Still, teaching opportunities present themselves.

Last night in the ski lodge my daugher asked me about the Twilight sequel, New Moon, and if they were shooting in Italy. I replied that they were probably doing “pre-production work”. This piqued her interest (and my son’s) and they began asking questions about the movie industry.

We went all through it from producers and investors to distribution rights and promotional item sales. I had no idea I knew much about how the industry works but I just kept dredging up more info. It must be all those trashy magazines I’ve read in doctor’s offices over the years. Anyway, my point is – when you teach something you find out just how much you know about the subject and it’s usually more than you think.

It made me feel good about my ability to teach.

It made me remember another odd circumstance. I was in a restaurant in NYC with my husband’s extended family. A cab caught fire and burned to crisp directly in front of the restaurant windows. This provided hours of entertainment for my young nephews but it also provided a teaching opportunity. I talked my 9 year old nephew through everthing that would take place, from the 911 call to the fire being extinguished to the car’s smoldering carcass being removed to the insurance settlement and the replacement of the cab. The surprising thing is that he was genuinely interested. Kids want to know how things work! These are life skills they’ll need someday.

This is a skill they won’t learn in public school. Our public schools increasingly focus on facts and test prep and memorization skills. That’s not the same thing as thinking skills. Looking back, I learned more from teachers who had conversations with us in class than I ever did from those who lectured. Those conversations left me thinking, they left me curious and were a springboard from which I learned to take the initiative to investigate and teach myself.

Homeschooling provides endless opportunities to each practical thinking skills and you know more than you think you do.

Feel good about it.

Twilight continued (or “Say What?”)

I’m going to digress here from the theme of education. I ran into a blog with a totally different take on the Twilight saga. There are lots of opinions out there and some who don’t like the books very much. Some are simply outrageous. Let me address them.

I’m currently reading the final  book, Breaking Dawn. I am a voracious reader and I appreciate a well crafted tale. These first three books are not well written and to tell you the truth I’m surprised the editor let them hit the market as-is.  I’ve seen fanfics which were much better constructed than these stories. I had trouble with the first few chapters of Twilight, so much so that I fell asleep twice while reading it, which I’ve never done before. I couldn’t figure out the appeal. But then the book hooked me.

Yes, the dialogue in Twilight sounds like two 14-year-old girls whispering in the hallway and that’s exactly how it hooks them. This is not Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and it’s not meant to be. These books are aimed at the 12-18 year old market. It’s beach reading for the adolescent girl and these movies are going to be the biggest DVDs ever for sleepover parties.

To continue in more detail . . .

This is a chaste romance. I’m glad the relationship between Bella and Edward is chaste and I’m glad of WHY. It is chaste not because of some lecturing adult but because of the thoughtful choice of Edward. It is chaste because that is what’s best and it is no less because of it. The subject is not tip-toed around either or treated in some goody-goody manner. When Bella and Edward talk about the possibility of a more intimate relationship in the future it sounds like two teenagers having an tentative moment. Bella has to go through embarassing conversations with her concerned parents as well.

Now the idea that these books show that men cannot control themselves simply baffles me. In my opinion it shows that men and women can control themselves and that people can choose  their behavior, no matter how difficult that might be.  It isn’t just Bella and Edward who have to make important, life altering decisions, many of the characters do and the consequences are shown. Obsessive? Yes, the relationship between Bella and Edward is obsessive but what first love isn’t?

Edward as stalker?  The first time he’s near her he runs away so he won’t hurt her. It’s more like Edward the gentleman protector and as the story progresses and he makes it clear on plenty of occasions that if she chooses someone else he will accept her decision. She doesn’t.  As the books progress it becomes more and more obvious that Bella is the one in control.

Are the stories believable? Of course not! Who can reasonably complain about suspension of disbelief when discussing a novel about vampires and werewolves living amongst us? It’s pure fantasy folks! It’s ridiculous to say the least!

I haven’t finished the  final novel so I can’t comment on the ending and I don’t want to be a spoiler. I can say that the fourth book is very well plotted and written and filled with humor.  It continues to handle the relationship in a lovely manner parents will approve of. It continues an overarching theme that family is the most important thing in life.

There is plenty of comment out there about the morality play aspect of these books and the fact that the author is Mormon. I think that’s irrelevant.  I’m Jewish and not particularly observant and I totally agree with the content in these books. I don’t feel like someone is preaching at me or my daughter. The moral lessons in these books, about love, family, evil, and redemption are universal and presented in a practical way that makes sense. no matter who you are. 

Ok, enough with that. Back to education . . . .

Twilight is Beautiful

I took two girls to see the movie Twilight last night. The estrogen level in the theatre was very, very high.

I didn’t expect much but I loved it. It’s the perfect gothic romance for teenage girls. There is no sex, no cursing, no nudity, no crude behavior and most violence occurs off screen. The vampires even have a happy, supportive family that plays baseball together!

My kids liked the Harry Potter movies but never read the books. To my disappointment they just weren’t into it. Twilight  is the book that finally got my daughter to sit up reading late into the night, read, read at the table, prefer reading to computer games and beg for the next book in the series.

If you want to get your daughter reading consider picking up a copy of Twilight. Try reading it to her at first to get her going and she’ll be hooked!