Written from the vantage point of an ex-Christian, former-homeschooling parent, this blog (mostly) follows efforts by those trying to merge church and state, especially as it impacts the education and socialization of children.
Isn’t there an online tool that will rank the reading level of your blog? :) Mine could very well be written at a 6th grade level. And, certainly, many of my posts are, in fact, pointless. :/
The only purpose of middle school science is to even out the stuff that elementary school teachers have missed and mark time until they are ready for high school science.
I got that from a homeschooling mom who used to teach public school (middle school science.)
Don’t forget those of us who grew up with science that had to fit within a narrow framework of what we were told the Bible said. I grew up learning that the earth was 6-8,000 years old, that the animals on earth are exactly like they’ve been since god created them perfectly as they are, the whole Noah and the ark thing. I’m sure you can imagine. I would have to say that any science is better than that.
Okay, Noah wasn’t science, but the idea that every animal had a purpose and was built just right for whatever it is they do was part of science class. Science was often no more than a sciencey way of saying god did it.
I think anything I learned about evolution would have been as it was being damned, not necessarily from the science class as much as the Bible class or chapel or church. The boogeyman was the secular humanist, a believer in evolution and a corrupter of morals.
Now that I think about it I bet we might have spent at least one science and/or math class discussing the ark. We likely got out our Bibles and read the passage in which god instructs Noah on the size of the ark. We translated that into slightly more modern and more commonly used units of measurement. We probably calculated all sorts of things and wondered at god’s ability to allow Noah to get all those animals onto his boat and keep them safe and fed for forty days and nights. I can guarantee you that we never measured or looked up measurements on enough animals to fill the boat or marvel at that missing part of the story. That was back when god still performed miracles.
Sam — Yes, any science is better than that. But how much better? DD’s public high school Honors Biology teacher opens the segments on evolution with a disclaimer that he may or may not believe in evolution but he is forced by state law to teach it. DD reports that most of the class tunes the lesson out or makes fun of it.
Today is a football Saturday in the South so I’m blogging and reading that. You know it’s very Christian, right?
And I find an ESPN story with a huge photo (you have to see this) about ignorant tattoo ink on athletes. It’s not bad science per se, but it is bad thinking, bad concepts, bad grammar, even bad morals. No way good science is coming out of this culture, and this culture dominates schools in the South, public or private.
Another picture shows a huge stomach tatto with two hands clasped in prayer, with a holy handgun between them. . . Monty Python’s Holy Hand Grenade came to mind only this guy can’t be kidding for keeps, can he?
Finally, remind me to blog about the Krik Cameron giveaway of the altered (altared?) Origin of Species on FavD’s southern college campus Wednesday. She encountered and engaged, good story! ;-)
Finally, remind me to blog about the Krik Cameron giveaway of the altered (altared?) Origin of Species on FavD’s southern college campus Wednesday. She encountered and engaged, good story! ;-)
Does she know about the Darwin Reclamation Project? Because blog posts are better with graphics, you know! :D
Wow, JJ. Thanks for that link as I don’t follow sports and would have missed the article otherwise.
By the way, is it me or does the “I shall fear no man but god!” tattoo look like, “I shall fear noman but god!” Who or what is noman? That guy should really wipe that part off and do it over… oh wait…… it’s permanent, isn’t it?
As for the problem that god is not a man, I’d just spout some trinity schmiel and say the wording was intentional. :)
We likely got out our Bibles and read the passage in which god instructs Noah on the size of the ark. We translated that into slightly more modern and more commonly used units of measurement. We probably calculated all sorts of things and wondered at god’s ability to allow Noah to get all those animals onto his boat and keep them safe and fed for forty days and nights.
I think I’ve seen that lesson plan at hs curriculum fairs :)
On a more serious note, how did you ever escape with your brain and soul in tact from that kind of schooling? Tip of the hat to you, sam :)
It’s pointless because all it does is prepare you for 7th Grade Science.
No word yet if 7th Grade Science is also pointless (because all it does is prepare you for 8th Grade Science).
Updates to follow.
Just checked the tally and the correct answer (All of the above) is ahead! I just wish I had prizes to give away! :?
That would be pointless. We’ll just wait for the 8th grade prize. :)
Nance
Oh, so this is the sixth grade blog? I’m repeating the year??
Isn’t there an online tool that will rank the reading level of your blog? :) Mine could very well be written at a 6th grade level. And, certainly, many of my posts are, in fact, pointless. :/
The only purpose of middle school science is to even out the stuff that elementary school teachers have missed and mark time until they are ready for high school science.
I got that from a homeschooling mom who used to teach public school (middle school science.)
After looking at the books it’s easy to see.
Au contraire! — but we may need to upgrade your commenters, starting right here . . .
;-)
Meg,
Wow. It’s not just my daughter’s class? So, the middle school years are only for learning how to hate science?
Au contraire! I’m lucky to have *top-grade* commenters :)
Don’t forget those of us who grew up with science that had to fit within a narrow framework of what we were told the Bible said. I grew up learning that the earth was 6-8,000 years old, that the animals on earth are exactly like they’ve been since god created them perfectly as they are, the whole Noah and the ark thing. I’m sure you can imagine. I would have to say that any science is better than that.
Okay, Noah wasn’t science, but the idea that every animal had a purpose and was built just right for whatever it is they do was part of science class. Science was often no more than a sciencey way of saying god did it.
I think anything I learned about evolution would have been as it was being damned, not necessarily from the science class as much as the Bible class or chapel or church. The boogeyman was the secular humanist, a believer in evolution and a corrupter of morals.
Now that I think about it I bet we might have spent at least one science and/or math class discussing the ark. We likely got out our Bibles and read the passage in which god instructs Noah on the size of the ark. We translated that into slightly more modern and more commonly used units of measurement. We probably calculated all sorts of things and wondered at god’s ability to allow Noah to get all those animals onto his boat and keep them safe and fed for forty days and nights. I can guarantee you that we never measured or looked up measurements on enough animals to fill the boat or marvel at that missing part of the story. That was back when god still performed miracles.
Sam — Yes, any science is better than that. But how much better? DD’s public high school Honors Biology teacher opens the segments on evolution with a disclaimer that he may or may not believe in evolution but he is forced by state law to teach it. DD reports that most of the class tunes the lesson out or makes fun of it.
So, Lynn, you can look forward to that. :)
Nance
Today is a football Saturday in the South so I’m blogging and reading that. You know it’s very Christian, right?
And I find an ESPN story with a huge photo (you have to see this) about ignorant tattoo ink on athletes. It’s not bad science per se, but it is bad thinking, bad concepts, bad grammar, even bad morals. No way good science is coming out of this culture, and this culture dominates schools in the South, public or private.
“I shall fear no man but god!” — huh?
Another picture shows a huge stomach tatto with two hands clasped in prayer, with a holy handgun between them. . . Monty Python’s Holy Hand Grenade came to mind only this guy can’t be kidding for keeps, can he?
Finally, remind me to blog about the Krik Cameron giveaway of the altered (altared?) Origin of Species on FavD’s southern college campus Wednesday. She encountered and engaged, good story! ;-)
Holy Handgun of the Christian Athlete
JJ:
Does she know about the Darwin Reclamation Project? Because blog posts are better with graphics, you know! :D
Wow, JJ. Thanks for that link as I don’t follow sports and would have missed the article otherwise.
By the way, is it me or does the “I shall fear no man but god!” tattoo look like, “I shall fear noman but god!” Who or what is noman? That guy should really wipe that part off and do it over… oh wait…… it’s permanent, isn’t it?
As for the problem that god is not a man, I’d just spout some trinity schmiel and say the wording was intentional. :)
sam:
I think I’ve seen that lesson plan at hs curriculum fairs :)
On a more serious note, how did you ever escape with your brain and soul in tact from that kind of schooling? Tip of the hat to you, sam :)
Think how good sam’s brain and soul COULD have been, though! ;-)
Or, maybe, in some cases, brains and souls actually grow in response to such influences.
It seemed to work that way for Frank Schaeffer and Nate Phelps, after all.