I am so excited about the amazing variety of experiences this group is bringing to the program! I think if I had kids, I would likely have ended up homeschooling them. How do you think that experience will influence who you are as a teacher?
Hey Alison, I was happy to learn more things about you. After having so many classes together I felt I knew you pretty well. My question is what was the topic of the paper you presented to the former President?
Allison: Someone has already addressed my question, but I'll see if I can rephrase it. I know you said you are pleased with your homeschooling and that you would not change it, but are there any aspects that you feel like you missed out on by not attending public school (positive or negative)? -NH
I think it's funny that you started college out as an accounting major because I consider English to be pretty much the exact opposite of that haha! I also had braces...what did you hate most about having those things? I hated how food got stuck in the wires.
Allison, I have recently started painting. Well, I painted sets for a long time, and loved it, and now I'm trying to paint on a smaller scale. What would you suggest to someone learning to paint small on their own? What is your favorite paint medium? What kind of things do you like to paint?
Also, mission trips have always interested me. Have you ever felt in danger on any of your trips?
Sorry, I feel like I am bombarding you with questions. : ) Feel free not to answer all of them.
What was your paper about, the one you presented to Jimmy Carter? Also what types of books did you read while homeschooled, were any of them the same as those you read in public school?
Looking back, one of my favorite things about homeschooling was the one-on-one time that I was able to spend with my teacher/mom as she tried to explain subjects/concepts that I had was learning in school but didn't thoroughly understand. At the end of the day when I had questions about the work I had done that day, I liked being free to ask her about whatever I didn't understand. I want to be able to do that with my own students -- to be able to invest in them in the same way. I want them to feel as though they can come to me when they don't understand something and not have to worry about me getting frustrated that they didn't "get it" the first time.
I also really enjoyed a lot of the activities we did when we were learning about something. I'd love to have classes small enough (maybe in a private school) where I'm able to do some of the same things that really helped the subjects come alive for me. I think it would be a lot harder with a larger classroom because of the restrictions that would create. But, given a smaller setting, I would love to incorporate some of the kinds of things I was able to do.
Honestly, I cannot name a single disadvantage that I am aware of or that I feel has significantly affected me. I know that a homeschooling experience can be very different for every homeschooler, but I just really had a great experience. I wasn't "sheltered" in any way -- when I was younger I was involved with girl scouts at a local school, my church youth group, and when I was older I was involved in something similar to young life with high school students from all over the city and surrounding areas. So, I was able to interact with non-homeschoolers as well. Some of the activities I participated in outside of my school work were the yearbook staff (yes, we had a legit homeschool yearbook!), field trips (to really cool places!), etc. I don't think that being homeschooling really held me back from anything at all because I was still interacting with homeschoolers as well as students in other schools in our city.
One of my favorite things that my family did each year was go to Atlanta for a week to stay with my aunt, uncle, and cousin (who was also homeschooled). We would do school work some mornings during that week, but most of our mornings/days were spent going to the apple orchard, waterfalls, the pumpkin patch, the petting zoo, underground Atlanta, the World of Coke, Stone Mountain, and so many other places. We always looked forward to that week!
I still do not know why my lung collapsed! It was called a "spontaneous pneumothorax," and the doctors said they are most common in taller people (especially, women who smoke). I am tall, but I do not smoke haha.. They never could give me a reason, but I don't think it was because I was drying my hair that morning (that's when I noticed it..it hurt and was hard to breathe). It was a strange experience!
I am most inspired by other people's creativity. There is nothing like going to an art fair or even coming across other people's work online that I absolutely love that gets those creative juices flowing inside me! I don't even remember what initially inspired me to begin painting. I started taking lessons when I was in elementary school, and my teacher was just really encouraging about my work. She really inspired me to continue painting.
Ghana was amazing. It really opened my eyes to how much we are blessed in this country material wise, but even more it opened my eyes to how much joy the people there have in the very lack of those material things. The people there -- men, women, children -- all have so much contentment!
I loved interacting with the children. I'd been to Costa Rica the summer before where the children spoke only Spanish, and I did not! Most of the children (mainly the older ones) in Ghana spoke English, so it was nice being able to communicate with them more easily!
Another of my favorite things there were the church services we attended. The way the people worship there is so much different than here -- they really just let it all out! It's incredible ..and fun! The pastor of the church is Eddie -- Ghana is a Christian country, and the president often calls him for advice! He is such an awesome man, and it's so easy to to hang on to every word that he says.
So much more I could say!! I would go back in a heartbeat.
Goodness, probably the length of time I had to have them! haha No, probably my least favorite thing about them was having to have them tightened every monh, trying to floss (!!!), wearing a head gear (I looked like SUCH a nerd!), the rubberbands, no gum (I was a stickler to [most of] the rules)..I could probably go on and on. Let's just say that at the time I was definitely not fond of them at all!
Yes! They are definitely one of my passions. I would always like mission trips to be a part of my life, even if they don't include traveling to another country.
I'm actually going to Costa Rica again this summer during the last week of June. I'm getting so excited about it! There is also already talk of going back to Ghana next year as well, but I'm not going to make those plans just yet! :)
That's awesome that you've started painting! It's definitely something that you should stick with :) Honestly, I'm really not sure what I would say except that it's good to start simple and start with the basics -- mastering the kind of paint that you choose, and something you are most comfortable with painting (for me -- flowers!), and go from there. My favorite paint mediums are acrylic and watercolor (definitely the hardest to work with of the two). Flowers are my very favorite to paint, but I also enjoy painting some landscapes as well!
I have never felt in an danger on the mission trips I have been on. The places in Costa Rica and Ghana that I have visited are not hostile, so even though I wouldn't have probably wandered around on my own, I always felt safe!
Yes, Jimmy Carter is a nice guy! I didn't talk to him much at all though -- it was in a presentation type setting, and so once I'd presented the paper to him I sat back down. From what I remember though, he was really nice about answering questions that my class had for him.
I think that what made adjusting to public school as simple as it was for me was already being so involved with the people there. I guess what was probably the biggest change was having a block schedule as opposed to a bunch of different subjects in one day and being able to spend as little or as much time as I needed to on them.
Oh, and I guess not being able to wear my pajamas all day was a little hard getting used to! ;)
The paper that I presented to Jimmy Carter was a response to his autobiography (and as horrible as it is, I don't remember the name of it!!!..). I remember writing the paper once, and super late the night before it was due I completely changed the direction I was going with the paper. I erased everything and started over! I was couldn't believe my paper was chosen.. It was very much a surprise haha.
The books that I read when I was homeschooled were the same or at least similar to books that other students were reading in the schools. Some of mine definitely had Christian undertones so probably were not used so much in the public schools, but for the most part, the kinds of books that I read were very similar.
Hey Allison, What are some of your favorite things about Columbus? I don't know much about the city, but I knew some people who went to CSU and loved it. Just wondering if it is famous for anything or what you miss about it when you are in Milledgeville...
I am so excited about the amazing variety of experiences this group is bringing to the program! I think if I had kids, I would likely have ended up homeschooling them. How do you think that experience will influence who you are as a teacher?
ReplyDeleteBased on your experiences, what do you think are some of the advantages and disadvantages of attending a public school versus being schooled at home?
ReplyDeleteHey Alison, I was happy to learn more things about you. After having so many classes together I felt I knew you pretty well. My question is what was the topic of the paper you presented to the former President?
ReplyDeleteIs Jimmy Carter a nice guy? Also, what do you think helped you adjust to public school after being home schooled for so long?
ReplyDelete- Brent
Do you still not know why your lung collapsed when you were fifteen???
ReplyDeleteWhat inspires you most when you are painting? I am so jealous! I can't even draw very well, it's pretty sad.
ReplyDeleteI want to know about Ghana! What was your favorite part of that trip?
ReplyDeleteAllison:
ReplyDeleteSomeone has already addressed my question, but I'll see if I can rephrase it. I know you said you are pleased with your homeschooling and that you would not change it, but are there any aspects that you feel like you missed out on by not attending public school (positive or negative)?
-NH
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that you started college out as an accounting major because I consider English to be pretty much the exact opposite of that haha! I also had braces...what did you hate most about having those things? I hated how food got stuck in the wires.
Allison, I see you've been on several mission trips! Is that a passion you have and would like to continue? If so, where do you want to go next?
ReplyDeleteAllison,
ReplyDeleteI have recently started painting. Well, I painted sets for a long time, and loved it, and now I'm trying to paint on a smaller scale. What would you suggest to someone learning to paint small on their own? What is your favorite paint medium? What kind of things do you like to paint?
Also, mission trips have always interested me. Have you ever felt in danger on any of your trips?
Sorry, I feel like I am bombarding you with questions. : ) Feel free not to answer all of them.
What was your paper about, the one you presented to Jimmy Carter? Also what types of books did you read while homeschooled, were any of them the same as those you read in public school?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDr. Alby,
ReplyDeleteLooking back, one of my favorite things about homeschooling was the one-on-one time that I was able to spend with my teacher/mom as she tried to explain subjects/concepts that I had was learning in school but didn't thoroughly understand. At the end of the day when I had questions about the work I had done that day, I liked being free to ask her about whatever I didn't understand. I want to be able to do that with my own students -- to be able to invest in them in the same way. I want them to feel as though they can come to me when they don't understand something and not have to worry about me getting frustrated that they didn't "get it" the first time.
I also really enjoyed a lot of the activities we did when we were learning about something. I'd love to have classes small enough (maybe in a private school) where I'm able to do some of the same things that really helped the subjects come alive for me. I think it would be a lot harder with a larger classroom because of the restrictions that would create. But, given a smaller setting, I would love to incorporate some of the kinds of things I was able to do.
Honestly, I cannot name a single disadvantage that I am aware of or that I feel has significantly affected me. I know that a homeschooling experience can be very different for every homeschooler, but I just really had a great experience. I wasn't "sheltered" in any way -- when I was younger I was involved with girl scouts at a local school, my church youth group, and when I was older I was involved in something similar to young life with high school students from all over the city and surrounding areas. So, I was able to interact with non-homeschoolers as well. Some of the activities I participated in outside of my school work were the yearbook staff (yes, we had a legit homeschool yearbook!), field trips (to really cool places!), etc. I don't think that being homeschooling really held me back from anything at all because I was still interacting with homeschoolers as well as students in other schools in our city.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things that my family did each year was go to Atlanta for a week to stay with my aunt, uncle, and cousin (who was also homeschooled). We would do school work some mornings during that week, but most of our mornings/days were spent going to the apple orchard, waterfalls, the pumpkin patch, the petting zoo, underground Atlanta, the World of Coke, Stone Mountain, and so many other places. We always looked forward to that week!
Erin,
ReplyDeleteI still do not know why my lung collapsed! It was called a "spontaneous pneumothorax," and the doctors said they are most common in taller people (especially, women who smoke). I am tall, but I do not smoke haha.. They never could give me a reason, but I don't think it was because I was drying my hair that morning (that's when I noticed it..it hurt and was hard to breathe). It was a strange experience!
Abigail,
ReplyDeleteI am most inspired by other people's creativity. There is nothing like going to an art fair or even coming across other people's work online that I absolutely love that gets those creative juices flowing inside me! I don't even remember what initially inspired me to begin painting. I started taking lessons when I was in elementary school, and my teacher was just really encouraging about my work. She really inspired me to continue painting.
Danielle,
ReplyDeleteGhana was amazing. It really opened my eyes to how much we are blessed in this country material wise, but even more it opened my eyes to how much joy the people there have in the very lack of those material things. The people there -- men, women, children -- all have so much contentment!
I loved interacting with the children. I'd been to Costa Rica the summer before where the children spoke only Spanish, and I did not! Most of the children (mainly the older ones) in Ghana spoke English, so it was nice being able to communicate with them more easily!
Another of my favorite things there were the church services we attended. The way the people worship there is so much different than here -- they really just let it all out! It's incredible ..and fun! The pastor of the church is Eddie -- Ghana is a Christian country, and the president often calls him for advice! He is such an awesome man, and it's so easy to to hang on to every word that he says.
So much more I could say!! I would go back in a heartbeat.
Marina,
ReplyDeleteGoodness, probably the length of time I had to have them! haha No, probably my least favorite thing about them was having to have them tightened every monh, trying to floss (!!!), wearing a head gear (I looked like SUCH a nerd!), the rubberbands, no gum (I was a stickler to [most of] the rules)..I could probably go on and on. Let's just say that at the time I was definitely not fond of them at all!
Christine,
ReplyDeleteYes! They are definitely one of my passions. I would always like mission trips to be a part of my life, even if they don't include traveling to another country.
I'm actually going to Costa Rica again this summer during the last week of June. I'm getting so excited about it! There is also already talk of going back to Ghana next year as well, but I'm not going to make those plans just yet! :)
Rose,
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome that you've started painting! It's definitely something that you should stick with :) Honestly, I'm really not sure what I would say except that it's good to start simple and start with the basics -- mastering the kind of paint that you choose, and something you are most comfortable with painting (for me -- flowers!), and go from there. My favorite paint mediums are acrylic and watercolor (definitely the hardest to work with of the two). Flowers are my very favorite to paint, but I also enjoy painting some landscapes as well!
I have never felt in an danger on the mission trips I have been on. The places in Costa Rica and Ghana that I have visited are not hostile, so even though I wouldn't have probably wandered around on my own, I always felt safe!
Brent,
ReplyDeleteYes, Jimmy Carter is a nice guy! I didn't talk to him much at all though -- it was in a presentation type setting, and so once I'd presented the paper to him I sat back down. From what I remember though, he was really nice about answering questions that my class had for him.
I think that what made adjusting to public school as simple as it was for me was already being so involved with the people there. I guess what was probably the biggest change was having a block schedule as opposed to a bunch of different subjects in one day and being able to spend as little or as much time as I needed to on them.
Oh, and I guess not being able to wear my pajamas all day was a little hard getting used to! ;)
Katie,
ReplyDeleteThe paper that I presented to Jimmy Carter was a response to his autobiography (and as horrible as it is, I don't remember the name of it!!!..). I remember writing the paper once, and super late the night before it was due I completely changed the direction I was going with the paper. I erased everything and started over! I was couldn't believe my paper was chosen.. It was very much a surprise haha.
Lorien,
ReplyDeleteThe books that I read when I was homeschooled were the same or at least similar to books that other students were reading in the schools. Some of mine definitely had Christian undertones so probably were not used so much in the public schools, but for the most part, the kinds of books that I read were very similar.
Hey Allison,
ReplyDeleteWhat are some of your favorite things about Columbus? I don't know much about the city, but I knew some people who went to CSU and loved it. Just wondering if it is famous for anything or what you miss about it when you are in Milledgeville...