My wife can hold three small children at the same time. She can make dinner, tell me to stop looking in the fridge for a snack and keep an ear open for the plaintive wail of a distressed child. She can listen to a podcast and play WoW or be in Second Life. She's a pretty impressive person.
But she can't multitask.
You can't either.
NPR has an interesting article on this. But I think, 'Perhaps I'm different. Perhaps I really can do multiple things at once.' If you're anything like me, I suggest you give yourself a practical test via the Multitask flash game. [NB: There are ads for webgames on this site. While I didn't notice any offensive ones when I hit the site, that does not rule out the possibility that they exist.] It took me all of about a minute before I realized that my constant switching in focus didn't cut it.
Businesses--I hear--have found this to be true as well. People are far more productive if they sit down and focus on a task. Unfortunately, the world of instant messaging, email, phones, Facebook, Twitter, RSS and the like make it difficult to stay on target. I know I get distracted when a message pops up telling me that I just got a new email.
I found it interesting, then, to read about a school that is excited that giving their students laptops "helps them multitask." I don't see how this would be a good thing. I heard that recent studies have found no benefits to trying to multitask.
Case in point: I know when my wife is multitasking while I'm on the phone with her. She's far less communicative if she's also checking Facebook or looking for a cool new app... she may be able to juggle a bunch of kids, but she still can't multitask.
Instead of encouraging your children to practice being distracted in the hopes that it will make them more prepared for the world of new media, encourage them to focus on a book or story and then switch their attention fully to the next subject at hand. This is a great skill to have when talking to people too: Give them your full attention.
~Luke Holzmann Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
P.S. Despite what I say above, I think it was great that my mom let us play quietly with Legos while she read to us. My sister sometimes doodled as well. There is something to be said for freeing children to focus on something other than merely "staying focused." So, perhaps--just perhaps--moderation is a good thing as well...
Jerri Ann asked, "When do you quit [helping with] homework?"
It's the homeschooler in me that answers, "It depends."
If a student is truly confused, why wouldn't you help them? Because they need to figure it out on their own? That is a great skill to learn. But if we believed that people should always figure things out on their own we'd never try to teach them anything. The learning process is a give and take that, when applied well, leads a student to move beyond what the teacher has taught. Confusion is a terrible state. Sure, don't spoon-feed answers, but simple clarification can be the difference between giving up and a light bulb moment.
If a little instruction will help a student move forward, help them! I am grateful for the friends who help me with things even here at Sonlight. And if I'm not too old to still benefit from a few pointers, I doubt your student is either.
Ultimately, though, I think this sums it up: Learning is far more important than "going at it alone." In fact, pushing students to figure it out on their own may actually reinforce the idea that building on what others have learned is a bad thing... and that would be a terrible mistake. We should all strive to stand on the shoulders of the giants who have gone before us.
I'm not advocating, however, that students should always get your help. I know there were times when I was mentally "dragging my feet" instead of applying myself. In those cases, it was good for my mom to leave me alone. Hand holding wasn't going to help me.
As a teacher you are your student's weightlifting partner. You're there to help lift the bar when the weight becomes too great. But you'd do no favors if you carried the burden instead.
Now I just mixed my metaphors...
Lifting Weights on the Shoulders of Giants
~Luke Holzmann Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
I mention cowboys and Sonlight's catalog on my blog and no one comments. No one mentions it on Facebook. I mean, I realize it was toward the end of a post, but I thought I'd get at least one giggle or "yeehaw" or something.
I got crickets instead.
Then I noticed that Facebook never published the post that mentioned cowboys and catalogs and contests. Say wha? What's going on here?
I fiddle. I tinker. I poke around. Finally I add the "Notes" tab and, lo and behold, there the post is... but it's still not on Sonlight's Facebook Wall. First it was Twitter that just stopped updating my stuff. Now it's Facebook. The social media world has conspired to bring me a slow social death.
<tears>
I've got several things I want to blog about, but they are sensitive subjects that require more thought and much more wisdom than I have. A few others would be better to post about at a later date. One is perfect for Father's Day (though I wrote it last week).
Needless to say, I'd rather be writing about other things than trying to sort out the mysteries of social media tools that simply stop working all of a sudden...
...and, please, someone tell me you thought having a cowboy on a page that said "Whoa! Hang on a minute there, cowboy" would have been hilarious. Otherwise, I'll have to post the crying cowboy sketch again...
~Luke Holzmann Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
Do you or your kids have a little cabin fever? If so, you are definitely not alone. This time of year is often very hard for homeschoolers ... even those who aren't in the middle of a snow-packed winter right now.
Let me encourage you: February is almost over and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sooner or later, spring will come again. I promise!
I was going to offer some practical advice about how to face the "winter doldrums" in your family and homeschool, but I found that a fellow Sonlight mom had already put that advice into words better than my own.
"Robin E." posted a short essay on the Forums the past two years and gave me permission to share it here as well. Even if you've seen it before, you might find it refreshing to re-read.
I noticed a spike in tweets about Sonlight yesterday. What further piqued my interest was that they were mostly directed toward one person who had asked for homeschool curricula suggestions.
Why had this person generated so many tweets?
I swung by her blog to see if I could figure it out. It was very nice. Then I noticed something...
Whoa. She has almost 6,000 followers!
Suddenly I was back in the pool as a college student. I frequently won races. I held school records. I was super cool! Until we attended a meet with some of the really big schools--like Standford and BYU. I took 86th in the 500. I doubt I had been bested by 85 people over the course of my entire swimming career prior to that.
Any dreams of Olympic gold that may have been budding in my subconscious died a gruesome death that day, mercilessly drowned in the pool of competitors that were way outside my league.
I was reminded of two things:
1. I should never, ever, ever look at my blog stats. It's depressing.
2. I am so thankful for you because you promote Sonlight so much better than I will ever be able to. I am grateful that so many Sonlighters take the time to share their love of Sonlight with others. Don't forget: We started the Sonlight Rewards program as a small way of saying thanks.
And speaking of Twitter, I should work on a Twitter widget thingy for the Widgets page...
~Luke Holzmann Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
Probably because I don't have many recipes and the few I do have I seldom share. But today, while trying to come up with something to blog about, I pulled out a peanut butter sugar cookie and started munching.
I Made This Cookie and I ate it too
Fun? Check. Tasty? Check. Easy to do? Check. Homeschool related? Check. Perfect blog fodder? Check.
These cookies take 20 minutes from start to finish. And I don't mean in the traditional cooking show way of: 20 minutes if you have everything prepped in those little bowls and the oven on and you don't need to look at the directions. I mean, 20 minutes from when you think, 'I think I'll make some cookies,' to when you can be munching. My kind of 20 minutes.
Step 1: Turn on your oven to 375° Step 2: Mix 1cup peanut butter, 1cup sugar, 1tsp vanilla and 1 egg (a mixing machine makes this even easier) Step 3: Form into balls on cookie sheet
Step 3b: (optional) Use fork to make pretty lines on cookies Step 3c: (optional) Sprinkle sugar on top if a 1:1 ratio isn't good enough for ya
Step 4: Bake for 9 minutes Step 5: Remove and let cool Step 6: Eat a limited quantity ***this is the hardest part***
This is a great activity for the whole family (assuming you don't have a peanut sensitivity). You can discuss what happens when you heat sugar, the microbe-killing effect of cooking eggs, the importance of a healthy diet, displacement when force is applied to matter, and even the calming nature of a good snack. Chemistry, biology, dietetics, physics and sociology--not to mention cookies--in 20 minutes?
Not bad for a Friday afternoon.
~Luke Holzmann Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
Meet our 2010 Sonlight scholarship winners. And consider their stories an answer to the question, "Does homeschooling work?" Through God's grace, hard work, their parents’ guidance and Sonlight® Curriculum, these students have blossomed into mature young adults. Like so many Sonlight students, they have exceptional character, are active in their communities, and represent the cause of Christ exceedingly well. They demonstrate leadership, mission-mindedness, a heart for learning, creativity and spiritual depth. Several have very high test scores. These students' eagerness to follow God’s leading and their exceptional skills and talents make us delighted to invest in their education. Sonlight will award $92,000 over the next four years to these thirteen Sonlight Scholarship winners (we've awarded $699,000 since we began the scholarship program!). All of these hard-working, talented students have completed at least five Sonlight History / Bible / Literature programs (including high school levels). We look forward to seeing all God does in and through them as they take what they've learned—through Sonlight and their homeschool experience—into college and into the world.
O.S., Winner of $20,000 Award ($5,000 each year) O.S. of LA felt God's call to become a doctor while on a mission trip in Peru. A team of medical missionaries opened his eyes to the unique opportunities to serve others around the world through medicine. Throughout his medical career, O. hopes to “aid the needy in Christ's name." O. will surely be ready for the rigors of medical school. He has used every Sonlight® sonlight-product-videos program from A through 500. He nearly aced the ACT and SAT and is a National Merit Finalist. An accomplished pianist, O. has won top awards at numerous competitions. He plays for church services and often accompanies the church choirs. He has volunteered for years with the children's program at church and helps lead the children's choir. He is the very picture of sportsmanship on his local basketball team. O. is close friends with his brother, works exceedingly well with his younger cousins and spends much of his time with children. Perhaps the biggest compliment of all is when other parents share, as they often have, that they hope their children grow up to "be like O." Winners of $10,000 Awards ($2,500 per year)
With a hospitable and compassionate heart, Dana Davis of Rochester, MN loves to build relationships with people different than her. She has close friends from many different cultures and connects naturally with others, whether she's overseas, in the inner-city or at her community college. Dana has used Sonlight from K-12. As she finishes her high school courses, she'll also complete an Associate Degree from a local community college. She plans to earn a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Math Education. Dana has served on her youth group leadership team, is a gifted figure skater, has written a complete novel, plays the piano, has won many local prizes for her artwork, and volunteers with an after-school ministry for children in low-income families.
Isaac Harrison of Hong Kong stands out among the ranks of upcoming filmmakers. If you were at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009, you could have visited the Short Film Corner to see Ana, a film he directed. The film explores the difficult struggle with anorexia that so many students in Hong Kong face. Isaac has won numerous awards for his cinematic achievements. He plans to study film at Asbury college in Wilmore, Kentucky. His desire is to “be a light for God in the film industry." And, in fact, he already is. Fluent in Chinese (Cantonese), Isaac has immersed himself in his local community. He is known among peers and artistic colleagues for his faith, integrity, creativity and kindness. Isaac participates in a local media club, chess club and film club. He is on his youth group's leadership team and serves as the group's worship leader. Isaac helps with VBS, plays table tennis and soccer, and teaches English to local children.
Ethan Green of Springfield, TN uses his astounding scientific aptitude to benefit others. Homeschooled with Sonlight since fourth grade by two parents with no background in math or science, Ethan has developed a unique method of creating three-dimensional images in motion. The project not only earned him a finalist spot at the largest pre-college international science competition, it also shows promise for use in hospital settings. Ethan has won a Congressional Award Gold medal and is an Eagle Scout. He will graduate high school with 60 hours of college credit. He has organized ongoing projects to provide free books to local children and hospital patients. His peers recognize him as a compassionate and responsible leader. Ethan plans to study computer engineering, mathematics and physics in college. He hopes to help others and glorify God through his science.
When Erik Messerschmidt of Holland, NY first studied Constitutional Law, he unknowingly started down his intended career path. He enjoyed the topic so much he developed and taught a course on the Constitution to other homeschool students. The high schoolers and adults in his class were eager to learn under Erik's well-prepared and caring guidance. He has served as his church's main worship leader for two and a half years. He chooses music for each service, organizes the praise team, introduces the songs, plays the piano and sings. Erik also plays baseball and umpires Little League games. He plays the saxophone and classical piano and participates in 4-H. Erik has used all the Sonlight high school programs and is a National Merit Finalist. He plans to major in Government at Patrick Henry College before pursuing a law degree. His goal is to uphold the Constitution and "fight for people's rights."
Winners of $4,000 Awards Sonlight will award eight additional students a $1000 scholarship for each year of college (up to four years). We're confident all these winners will make a positive mark in the world and continue on the path of lifelong learning.
Winners in alphabetical order are:
Callie Bonin of Lafayette, LA plans to study Business Management/Human Resources in college. She has spent most of her life in Belgium, where her family is soon returning to continue serving as missionaries. Callie has used Sonlight programs E through 400. She has studied the violin for many years, taught Sunday School, participated in Christian Youth Theater and served with a dance/drama ministry. Callie shows a clear heart for international missions and has made great sacrifices to help children whose families are preparing to move overseas. She is a natural leader, good humored, mature and very creative.
Kayla Griesemer of Ooltewah, TN plans to attend Patrick Henry College and eventually enter the political field. She has proven her ability to get the heart of issues, reason logically, think quickly and persuade effectively. With great diligence and natural talent, Kayla has earned high honors in several national NCFCA Speech and Debate League competitions. She studies classical piano and flute, plays in a worship band and participates in a dance and drama team. She also teaches piano, coaches a young debate team, serves as the accompanist for a middle school choir and works with a ministry to homeless women.
Caleb Kruse of Colorado Springs, CO plans to major in Biology at Pepperdine University or Stanford University. A professor at Stanford, who serves as a consultant to the President of the United States, has recognized Caleb for his original and very relevant scientific research. On his own initiative, Caleb is successfully researching methods to prevent bleaching of corals by reducing oxidative stress. When he's not winning top-tier science awards from prestigious contests like the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology or the Intel Science Talent Search, Caleb enjoys sports, photography and art. He is the head batboy for the AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox baseball team, a serious runner and a skilled skier. He is very active and successful in Speech and Debate competitions. Growing up in Colorado Springs, Caleb has also acted on the hit children's radio show, Adventures in Odyssey.
Josiah McCoy of Statesville, NC will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has used Sonlight G through 500 and is a National Merit Finalist. A pianist and visual artist, Josiah also enjoys swimming and playing basketball. He has faithfully volunteered at his local library for years. Josiah has consistently volunteered for VBS programs at several churches over the past five years as a teacher, puppeteer, skit actor and assistant. He works very well with young children, who generally adore him. Josiah sincerely cares about others and consistently translates that concern into concrete, helpful action.
Katrina Parsons of Pine, CO will study Vocal Music Education at Colorado Christian University. She feels God calling her to mission work and looks forward to serving others through the power of music. She teaches a young piano student with learning and physical difficulties, interns for a children's choir and sings with an audition-only youth choir. Katrina leads a middle-school girls' weekly Bible study, teaches children's church for 4- to 5-year-olds, volunteers in her church's nursery, serves on her church's worship team and her youth group leadership team, and volunteers for Operation Christmas Child. In all of life, Katrina seeks to share God's love with others. Her life passion is to bless those who are poor, outcasts, or underprivileged and see people come into the Kingdom of God.
Cacia Scheler of Helenville, WI plans to pursue a double major in Nursing and Missions at Concordia University Wisconsin. Having used Sonlight since Kindergarten, Cacia shares her love of reading through coordinating an accelerated reading competition for homeschoolers. She is very active in 4-H and has held a variety of crucial leadership positions there. Many local children have benefited greatly from the 4-H day camps she has organized and led. Short-term mission trips throughout the years have confirmed Cacia's desire to serve the Kingdom as a missionary. She hopes to become a nurse practitioner and specialize in such a way that she can work primarily with women and children on the mission field.
Kathryn Waldron of Vermillion, SD plans to pursue undergraduate majors in Economics and Communications with a minor in Math. She will earn the prestigious Awana Citation Award this year. Kathryn serves her church community as the assistant Awana secretary and has helped lead the preschool Awana program. When her family lived in Beijing during her freshman year of high school, Kathryn took up new challenges in stride and thrived in the international environment. She now helps with a ministry to international students who attend the local state university. Last November, Kathryn completed the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel during the National Novel Writing Month.
Caleb Zimmerman of Tirana, Albania plans to enter the world of Diplomacy and Foreign Service through studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at The King's College in New York City. When his family moved to Albania during his 8th grade year, Caleb showed remarkable linguistic aptitude and was serving as his family's translator within six months. He coaches a soccer team for local Albanian youth and organizes informal basketball and football games. Caleb finished the Rome Marathon, has accompanied Albanian and French anthropologists on an archeological dig, studies the violin and teaches four violin students. Caleb loves to build relationships with those around him as he joins in his family's work. He says that his experience working with his family in Albania during high school has been something he would never trade for the "routine comfort" he had in his home culture of the United States.
You could be a winner next year! Sonlight will award 13 scholarships ($92,000!) for students planning to attend college in the Fall of 2011. Families who have ordered and used at least five History / Bible / Literature programs since 2000 are eligible. Visit www.sonlight.com/scholarships to find out the requirements and complete details for next year's scholarship competition.
