Sickie goes skiing

Heather continues to be sick. For 3 days I told her she had bronchitis and she thought she also had a sinus infection. The nurse said the fluorescent yellow and green snot didn't mean anything! Ooooohhhhhh...to get my hands on her...... Well, Friday Heather went to the eye doc for glasses and took a detour to the hospital walk-in clinic. Yes indeed....she has sinusitis and bronchitis!!! At least now she has antibiotics to go with them.

Thursday Heather went downhill skiing for the first time. She still has all body parts intact ;-) And she loved it.

Since Heather is a second grade drop-out, she never had the joys of forced schooling. This is now getting her into hot water.

We learn because we want to know something. And if you want to know something....it's only natural to read everything you can get your hands on.....right????? NO!!! Guess not.

Heather did most of her school reports over Christmas vacation. She had to answer questions by writing short papers. Heather spent hours and hours researching each subject on the internet and with our extensive book collection. I thought her papers were great ;-) Guess what the instructor wants? A few words copied directly from their workbook. All kid's answers are supposed to look the same.

ACK! Here I have an intelligent, curious, motivated kid and they want to dumb her down and fit a mold. What's truly pitiful is the info in their binders is neither current nor fully correct. Heather spends more time arguing than learning new stuff. She has a new appreciation for her unschool and uncollege background ;-) Nobody ever said beaurocracy makes sense. My personal opinion of narrow minded administrators and teachers cannot be said out loud here ;-)

Those who can DO....and other people teach. No great person ever became that way by copying stuff from one page to another. You'd think the school system would encourage creativity, intelligence and initiative....but instead they strive to produce limited knowledge clones. Sigh....

I have to keep remembering that the US style of schooling was brought about by the industrial revolution. It was intended to produce obedient factory workers. For years I scoffed at the homeschool parents who ranted about public schools. I considered it a waste of time and just went about doing things better. I sense myself becoming more publicly radical.

Heather is going to the Job Corps first of all because it is FREE. She looked into several colleges, but did not want to have student loans when she got out. After all....she already has a house of her own building, free and clear of any mortgage....plus a camping van, kayak and lots of outdoor gear. Debt sucks.

Heather was searching for a carpentry apprenticeship for the winter when she stumbled on a Job Corps website. When she saw the Outdoor Recreation offering, she was hooked! It's the first in the nation and from what Heather says, the gear available onsite is fantastic ;-)

Sigh....Heather and I were never meant to be team players in a beaurocracy. If you have any wisdom to share, Heather would appreciate some encouragement. Write to her at Royalepain@aol.com Be nice to her.....she can't help who her mother is ;-)