|
I suppose it is because nearly all children go to school nowadays, and have things arranged for them, that they seem so forlornly unable to produce their own ideas.
~ Agatha Christie
|
Chat!
Join me in an open homeschool chat every Friday morning!
9 a.m. US/Canada Eastern time, GMT -5
Normally, our chat lasts for several hours, so if you are running late, don't worry ... likely we are still there!!! Come join us!
There are two ways to join:
1. Using the mIRC program
(available at www.mirc.com. Just download, install, and set up as per directions below.):
a. An Options box should pop up. If it doesn't, then click on File, click on Options
b. Click on Servers (under Options)
c. Choose Dynastynet, which is one of the server options listed
d. Click on "Random Server" that appears just under the Dynastynet option
e. Click the "Select" button
f. Now click on the "Connect to server" button and mIRC should begin the connect process.
g. Channel name -- #TheBlarneyBox
To get there, type /join #TheBlarneyBox into the text box at the bottom of the status window and hit enter. You will be taken to the proper chat room.
If you wish to register your nickname, you may do so. This is a good idea if you plan to be a frequent chatter. Or you can just join the chat with a different nickname of your choice each time. Be aware, though, that since nicknames can be registered, it is possible that the first name you choose may already be registered and therefore unavailable. Also, we will have a better chance to get to know you if you use the same nickname each time you visit.
For more info on servers and setup for IRC, visit the Dynastynet help page.
There are other chat relay programs you can use besides mIRC. One of our regular members recommends XChat as a much better alternative for Windows users. It can be downloaded from http://silverex.org/download/. Mac OS X users can use XChat Aqua, available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/xchataqua/.
2. Browser (Javascript) version:
a. Go to http://www.dynastynet.net/chat.php?room=TheBlarneyBox
b. Enter your nick(name) in the appropriate window
c. A new chat window will appear, with a lot of info scrolling by quickly, and then you will be taken right to TheBlarneyBox chat room.
d. You will probably want to resize the box, as what pops up is rather small. Just click on the little box with the two boxes inside it on the upper right of the small chat window. Don't click on the X or you will have closed the whole thing and have to begin again!
e. A new window has now opened that can be resized to fit your whole screen. In this box, the main conversations are occurring on the left, the members that are chatting are listed at the right, and you type in your comments and hit enter at the very bottom the window. Your cursor will be blinking at the bottom left, where you can type.
Whenever you'd like to chat a bit, stop in.
TheBlarneyBox chat room is available at any time for conversations. Arrange to meet your homeschool friends there!
Homeschool Chat Notify List
If you would like to be notified via personal e-mail about the weekly Homeschool Chat, you have two options:
- Join the YahooGroups leapinghschat list
Click to join leapinghschat
or, if you prefer a private list ...
- Send an e-mail to admin@leapingfromthebox.com with the words notify list in the subject line and I will add you to my private weekly notification list.
|
|
 |
Dumbing Us Down
The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling
by John Taylor Gatto
|
| In this tenth-anniversary edition, Gatto updates his theories on how the U.S. educational system cranks out students the way Detroit cranks out Buicks. He contends that students are more programmed to conform to economic and social norms rather than really taught to think.
|
|
|
