Revision is Awesome

      We are revising our first posts we made. I hope you think they are good.                                                                                                                                    

      Hello, my name is Zachary. I am older than most of my friends, but I sure don’t look like a pre-teen. I live sort of in the woods, around more houses; I think my best friends Alex, Jason, Derrick, and DEFINITELY Richard are really cool!                                                

      I am glad I was chosen as one of the Web Writers, and I love writing. It is a new experience to be back in school. I used to go to home school, it was fun! First of all, you get to sleep all you want before you get up. I usually got up around 11:00 AM! Also, you don't have to do school for 6 hours while your home-schooled! You only have to do school for four and a half hours!                                                                                                             

      The bad news is, I argued with my mom a lot. I didn't do homeschool anymore because I didn't want to put my mom through anymore stress. I also wanted to live my last year in elementary school in public school. Nobody used to like me except the kids in my weblog class, but I have lots of friends now!

      I have two best friends that don’t call me names. They are Jason and Derrick! But thanks to weblogging, “Weblog Zachary” has ROCKED! YEAH!!!!!! 

      

Well that was the revised version of "Zack's Awesome Introduction" and I hoped you liked it.

                                                ~What did you think of my post?~

Comments

[Mom]

I liked your post a lot. I thought it was really honest. I would have liked to have read more about our homeschooling experience. It was tough sometimes, wasn't it? It was really fun, too. I think it was wonderful and I'll always look back on that as a very pleasant time in our lives not a stressful one. I am glad you chose to go to public school this year. Some really terrific opportunities have come your way. Weblogs, chorus and all the people you have met. You know what... sometimes it's hard to make friends. I was really shy too, at your age and sometimes it's still hard for me to know exactly what to say to people I meet. I had only a couple of really good friends in elementary school because we moved around a lot but we were able to stay in touch and I am still friends with them today. I am sad that there are kids that call you names...sometimes kids can be so mean, but I also think they probably do things like that because of their own insecurities and fears. Anyone who really gets to know you always likes you because you are such a good guy. Your true friends would never call you names or hurt you. Sometimes we will put up with some things just to have friends but you should never feel degraded by anyone who claims to be your friend. I know I'm your mom and I think the world of you but you really are a great kid and anyone who would treat you unkindly just to get a laugh or to make themselves feel powerful is really not worth any grief. You will always have to deal with mean people in one way or another even when you are a grown up. Trust me. But the important thing is that you learn to deal with it well. Don't just accept it and build a wall up...that tends to make a person feel bitter and inferior eventually. Understand that all people are not nice but you will meet more pleasant people over the course of your life than mean ones. Stand up for yourself if you feel the need to, and by this I mean tell that person you don't like being called names. Most importantly keep smiling and keep on feeling good about yourself because you are one of the pleasant people in this world and in such a better state than someone who would call other people names. Give people second and even third chances(but don't let yourself be a victim,of course) because sometimes these kids will mature in the next year or two and might end up being one of the good guys after all. Above all, just know these things are hard to go through but it does make us stronger and even better people ourselves. LYA.

[Bronwyn G]

I didn't know people didn't like you when you homeschooled. That is a really interesting point. Why do you think that was? Maybe you didn't have the peer interactions which would have validated you in yourself at that stage. You do seem really strong and self-confident now, and over the past few months you have carved out a strong voice which I have enjoyed seeing evolving.

I will read your Mum's post and see what she thinks.

[Robin]

Bronwyn,
Zachary was homeschooled for two years and when he went back to public school it was a different school than the one he had left because we moved into another house. There was also a big gap between the grade he had left(2nd)and fifth grade. So much more going on in the fifth grade. His transition got off to a shaky start but he seems to be adjusting quite well to the demands of a fifth grade student. We couldn't have hoped for a better school for him to make this transition. Everyone has been so supportive and caring towards him. JHH really is a great school. Some of the social issues I think are pretty normal at this age. Zachary is very friendly. He is one of those smart,quiet boys who seem to have difficulties feeling like they fit in. Some children at this age are pretty hard on their peers, too. Did you ever feel that way when you were younger?

[Mom]

Hey,
You know what? You will feel comfortable in your own skin one day. What's so strange about childlife is the things that make us stand apart and different from our peers are usually the very things that make us creative and attractive when we are older. So hold your head up, revel in the qualities that make you who you are, and beat out your own path. Sometimes it's fun to go where the crowd is going but I think the most meaniful journeys are the ones we find on our own. I want you to look back on this year and be proud of everything you've accomplished. Really cherish the friends you have made, the knowledge you've gained and savor this time in your life.

[Mom]

You know I meant meaningful, right? :D

[Bronwyn G]

Without saying much more than I have, yes.

[Mrs. Meeler]

Hey Zachary!

Your post was much better because of the extra details. I would be interested in a post regarding your home school experience as well. Maybe you can talk about the advantages and disadvantages of home school and tell us more about your likes and dislikes of them both. Do you know that homeschooling is a very controversial issue? Your weblog is a way for you to be heard on the topic. A post is brewing... I can feel it...

[Bronwyn G]

I would try to homeschool my children. First of all I could try and get a Bachelor of Education at university, and then I would find curricula and social networks that suited them all. (Maybe I would try and get a higher degree for research so I could set my kids a positive role model and they would see why lifelong learning is important!) My boyfriend is a Christian so we would find a Christian curriculum. And there would be a worksite so the children would get work experience when they were teenagers and young adults. What do you think, Zachary and Ms Meeler and Robin?

[Bronwyn G]

Next week maybe you could do research into how other kids have had their homeschooling experience and write an argumentative/persuasive essay about homeschooling versus public schooling. Also look at different forms like Steiner, Montessori and charter schools, and also magnet schools for gifted students.

[Mom]

Bronwyn,
I would definately encourage anyone interested to atleast try it and it definately sounds like you have yourself together enough to do it. My husband and I actually had to start teaching Zachary as an infant. We had bought him a box of foam letters and we were all sitting down playing with them when Zachary started to pick up each letter and tell us what they were. By the time he was two he knew the phonetic sound of each letter and could read three and four letter words. He was reading fluently at three. I am a Christian also and I did look into some of the Christian curricula but at the time I felt Zachary was more suited to more of a classic curricula. Lots of history and classic literature. We decided however that public school offered him chances that my husband and I could not financially give to him at the time and felt that socially it might help him come out of his shell. This has had some negative effects as well but as a whole I think it has been a great experience for him. I can give you lots of info on different Christian programs for homeschooling so if you ever have any questions feel free to e-mail me.

[derrick]

THE ZACH ATTACK man you are real good. You write like you are publishing books. Alot people should come up to you and ask how to write.

[Anne Davis]

Zachary,
I just want you to know that you have developed quite a voice on your weblog. It is one of my favorite "reads". The interactions that have developed on the comments with your readers is so delightful. I especially love the interactions between you and your mom. I wish more parents would participate. Kudos to your mom! I think your writing has really improved also. I'm interested to know how you feel about writing now? Do you enjoy it? Do you forward to writing/blogging? What's easy, what's hard? Do you enjoy writing in your classroom, as well? How about at home? I think your thoughts on this topic would be so beneficial for other young bloggers.
Kudos to Zachary, too! Well done, Zachary, well done!
Mrs. Davis

[Anne Davis]

I also want to comment on Derrick's comment to you. That is one of the best complements I have heard! I am proud of Derrick. He is a thoughtful and interesting blogger! And commenter!
Mrs. Davis

[Bronwyn G]

Derrick,

That is so true. Indeed, I encouraged Zachary to write a book from his blog at the start of 2006. Do you remember that?

Zachary,

I would be interested in the answers to Ms Davis's questions, and I would love to see something about your experiences in homeschooling. Maybe next blog ...