Let the crazy election season guide your children to a learning experience that comes but once a year. In her September- October 2008 HEM Good Stuff Column, Ready, Set…Elect!, Becky Rupp writes:
There’s something for everybody this election season. For us grown-ups, more news than we can possibly cope with. For the kids, a lot of good books.
Becky offers some great books, websites and other election resources. You can learn all about them by purchasing this issue here (link is on the bottom left) or you can subscribe to the magazine here.
Keeping Homeschooling Freedoms Alive - Larry & Susan Kaseman
It’s happened again. September. Back to school. Even though we’re homeschooling, we can feel it in the air. Time to get going.
We start planning, organizing, preparing. Whether we’re new or experienced homeschoolers, we can easily feel overwhelmed. How are we going to get everything done? How do we know the kids are learning enough of the right things? What about all those things we worry about in the middle of the night?
With so many things to think about for our own family, it’s tempting to decide that that’s all we can do about homeschooling. No time (or money, for that matter) to join a local support group or a statewide homeschooling organization. No time to make sure we’re up to date on current homeschooling issues. No time to even think about things that might affect our homeschooling freedoms.
But such an approach is a mistake.
You can find out why by reading this complimentary article courtesy of HEM here. To read all the great articles in this issue, you can subscribe to the magazine here.
If you’d like some suggestions for how kids can make money while preparing for their futures at the same time, you’ll want to read Laurisa Reyes’ article about combining earning with learning.
In Money Matters: Working Toward Kids’ Futures Ms. Reyes writes:
Okay, so flipping hamburgers isn’t the worst job in the world, but in my book it comes pretty close. This is not to criticize those who choose to assemble the fast food for a living; many adults got their start beneath the golden arches. However, I recall as a child my parents telling me “you can do better.” Bank then, quite frankly, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to do better. Having a lifetime supply of Big Macs and french fries sounded pretty good to me. But now that I’m a parent, I often find myself saying those very words to my own children, but with my own unique twist: “You can do anything.”
In this article, Ms. Reyes offers some great ideas to help a young person to not only work, but to explore their interests while they earn money. To read more about it, you can purchase this issue here (link is on the bottom left) or you can subscribe to the magazine here.
HEM’s own Article’s Editor, Jeanne Faulconer was recently featured in a radio interview on HearSay with Cathy Lewis. Ms. Lewis wasa examining education issues in the Virginia region and Jeanne spoke to her about homeschooling there.
It is an excellent interview and you can access it by clicking here . Once you are there, select the show for September 16, titled Alternative Learning. The homeschooling part comes just after the second half of the show, so if you’re just interested in that part, adjust the slide of your media player over halfway to find that segment.
Angela Chenus explains how she incorporated the influence of Waldorf education in her unschooling family to bring “intentionality to the moment”.
She writes:
At heart, I am an unschooler. I chose to homeschool because it meant following my instinct. I get to spend the “good” part of the day with my children (as opposed to the grumpy morning and worn-out afternoon hours before dinner). We learn together and explore the world and its wonders.
To read more of Angela’s insightful article and some great Waldorf resources you will want to purchase this issue here (link is on the bottom left) or you can subscribe to the magazine here.
Kathy writes:
There are some kinds of bugs you don’t want in your home. Then there are the bugs people like to keep as pets. Crickets, earth worms and ladybugs are just some of the creepy crawlies humans deliberately try to attract to their homes and gardens because they can help make things grow or are just plain fun to watch. Ants fall into this category. An ant farm is a great way to learn about the lives insects and take responsibility for a pet without too much of a commitment of time or space.
To learn how to make your own two-jar ant farm, purchase this issue of HEM here (link is on the bottom left) or you can subscribe to the magazine here.
Interview with Carol Reinhard by Mary Nix
Mary Nix talked with world traveler Carol Reinhard organizer of the first Unschoolers Winter Water Park Gathering. Here is an excerpt from the interview:
Mary: Is planning the Unschoolers Winter Gathering a volunteer effort?
Carol: Yes, most definitely! Everyone involved from the organizers to those who led presentations, funshops, and even the dad who D.J.’d our ballroom dance, all volunteered their time and resources. And most everyone who has registered for next year’s gathering have already volunteered to helpin some way, from registration and ice breakers to leading funshops and presentations.
Mary: Why did you chose the Sandusky Kalahari Resort?]
Carol: The Sandusky Kalahari Resort is truly the premier waterpark in the U.S.A. Not only is it the largest indoor waterpark in the country, it’s also Ohio’s largest hotel and private convention center. It’s so family friendly; it truly has something for everyone! Plus, I live in Sandusky, so that made it more convenient for me to coordinate and organize!
To learn more about this great event you will want to purchase this issue here (link is on the bottom left) or you can subscribe to the magazine here.
