Robinson Curriculum

I sort of suck as a home schooler. I don't toe the party line very well.
And I flunked out of Campus Crusade in college.
I love Jesus; I love the church, but who are we kidding?
Christians can be so weird. Christian culture is even weirder. Can I get an "amen"?

That being said, I am considering employing some of the pedagogical practices of a dude that I probably wouldn't/couldn't be friends with. He is exactly the type of guy that helped to form the stereo types about Christian homeschooling. His life is Saturday Night Live sketch material.

But his kids rocked the SATs, and his system works. Now, to be honest, I think good genes had a lot to do with those kid's success. They were genetically predisposed to being smarter than your average bear. But the system has merit. It's sound.

It is based on self-teaching, with a strong focus on the 3 Rs. Robinson Curriculum employs a sound math curriculum, fabulous Literature and writing (as the means of learning to write). Parents facilitate a learning environment that is conducive to self-teaching; they set up accountability, then back off. I like that the curriculum teaches kids how to learn, and not only what to learn. I like that it is doable with multiple children. I like the good literature, and solid math. Those are the pros.

Here are the cons:

• The dude makes my husband (who is a right-wing conservative) look like a flaming liberal. In Art Robinson's reality all children in the public schools have been orphaned to a system hell bent on indoctrinating children with socialist bull crap and systematically eroding there sense of right and wrong. (Okay-He didn't say it in those words, particularly the "bull crap" part.)
• The dude suggests that nearly all intervention on a parent's part (as it relates to academics) is detrimental. That is not my experience, nor is it indicative of the best research on how people learn. I've found that sometimes just sitting next to a child who is tackling difficult math gives them the courage to press on. This is often my own experience. And I do not agree that we were meant to live independently; we're made to connect.
• The dude has totally legalistic views on sugar and TV. He probably doesn't dance, or drink, or think women should wear pants. I doubt he would approve of me being on staff at church in the role of director (which I am). He would likely pitch a fit that I wear jeans, to said church, and report to a woman in the role of a pastor. I also drink and dance, and hang with people who do. I've even been known to say "SEX" out loud and in mixed company. This has nothing to do with his curriculum per se ; it just annoys me.
  
• The dude puts high value on the sciences (which is good), but minimizes the language arts. As an English major (from a very liberal college) I kinda like the language arts. A lot.
  

But the curriculum.

It just might be good.

I'll probably use it, or steal from it liberally.

That is if I don't send my kids to public school.