Feeling depressed about the state of the nation? Feeling frantic that "The Kids Are NOT All Right?" Spend three minutes with this homeschooled student. You'll be the better for it and you'll even learn a lot about U.S. Presidents and "President's Math".
Keep Cool With Coolidge And Garrett from sippican cottage on Vimeo.
"Little boys like to know things about the way the world works. They like lists. They like dinosaurs and atoms and planets and Lego sets and army men, and man do six-year-olds like lists of presidents.
"There are lots of videos on YouTube of people who think their kids are geniuses because they've memorized something. The education and rearing of children has become so degraded and mysterious that people don't even recognize what comes naturally to children, especially male children, anymore. You have to beat the love of learning out of children. This has been totally accomplished, at least as far as boys are concerned in the public schools.Posted by Vanderleun at October 13, 2011 1:42 PM
I tell you, Gerard. Featuring Sippican's posts is one of the best things about American Digest.
Posted by: Jewel at October 13, 2011 2:34 PMHe had me at hello!! I was blessed to have one of each. They are both gifted in ways only God could have designed. My son would lean over his stroller chair to watch the 360 wheels turn. He's determindly roll his walker over to his dad's lawn mower to examine the tires. He'd build with blocks, train tracks, transformers for hours. Now, he knows so many general facts about reptiles it would put a herpetologist to shame. Boys are amazing. I homeschool my two and I confess, my daughter does the seat work, the written work in a far more assertive way and it encourages my son to compete. The learning styles are worlds apart, both brilliant in their own ways. I also taught in public schools and, besides teacher morale, mixing the genders, especially into over-crowded classes, was probably my biggest complaint. Like trying to train cats and dogs simultaneously. It almost never works. And that was on top of all the given challenges in public schools. Thanks for sharing this!
Posted by: RedCarolina at October 13, 2011 3:06 PM*determinedly - and to boot, I taught hormonal adolescents... so you can imagine how hard it was for them to concentrate in mixed classes.
Posted by: RedCarolina at October 13, 2011 3:11 PMHello Mr. Vanderleun. Thank you for putting up my video!
Posted by: Garrett at October 13, 2011 4:48 PMA great video. Thank you.
Garrett you are an amazing young man. Keep up the good work.
Delightful - thank you!
Posted by: goldenwest at October 14, 2011 4:57 PMThat child is so beautiful, I don't think I can stand it. Thank you for posting this.
Posted by: Kerry at October 14, 2011 7:06 PMWhere's Gerard?
Doesn't he usually give notice when he's taking a hiatus? This site hasn't been updated in a week.
Posted by: Don Rodrigo at October 21, 2011 9:25 AMDon Rodrigo, I dropped him a line a few days ago because I noticed the same, and didn't hear back...uncharacteristic of him. I hope he's OK.
Posted by: Uncle Jefe at October 21, 2011 9:31 AMMom in Seattle.
Posted by: Anyone heard from him, or know anything? at October 21, 2011 3:07 PMWell then, a prayer for his Mom as well...
Posted by: Uncle Jefe at October 21, 2011 3:39 PMI don't know anyone here, but eagerly visit this site most everyday (my first post) -I love the place! I pray that all is well.
Posted by: Scott at October 21, 2011 5:55 PMQuo vadis, amicus?
Posted by: Jewel at October 22, 2011 1:45 AMWhat Scott said.
Praying all is well.
Jim
Posted by: southernjames at October 22, 2011 4:43 AMEmailed Mr Vanderleun earlier in the week, no reply. I also pray that he is well.
Posted by: Gandalin at October 22, 2011 5:09 AMI was pleasantly surprised to find a Sippican blog post from Saturday, August 09, 2008 in a "Steampunk for kids" google search a couple of nights ago.
Mom in Seattle.
Posted by: tenico at February 4, 2013 12:00 PM
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