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HEM SUPPORT NEWS - September 2004
In the August 2004 issue:
~September's Highlighted Support Group - African American
Unschooling
~August's Question - Upcoming conferences
~Issues to Watch-
~Web Updates
~HEM Resources
September's HIGHLIGHTED GROUP: African American Unschoolers
African-Americans make up 5% of the general homeschooling population and that number is growing quickly.
This month's Highlighted Group is African-American Unschoolers, a national network for African-Americans. This month's interview is with founder S. Courtney Walton. Ms. Walton also writes a column for The Good News Herald of St. Louis, MO. in which she shares her family's unschooling adventures in "Real Living?. Real Learning". Ms. Walton also serves as the Unschooling Advisor for the National African-American Homeschoolers Alliance and is the editor of "FUNgasa: Free Oneself! The Magazine for African-American Home Educators."
After reading and enjoying the July/August Issue, it is easy to see that this is a wonderful resource not only for African Americans, but for all home educators who love family unity, home-education, heritage and the importance of protecting our freedoms.
Their web site (www.afamunschool.com) has an abundance of offerings that one can delve into that will also uplift and educate.
Mary: You state at your web page that you are striving to raise spiritually whole and healthy African-American children. How has home-education helped you attain that goal?
Courtney: When people ask me about homeschooling, I am reminded of a quote from Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an African-American educator and historian, who said, "The education of any people, should begin with the people themselves." I incorporate this in our homeschooling by creating an environment that nurtures my children's minds, bodies and spirits. I believe a Holistic approach to living and learning creates a healthy sense of self, an awareness of your role and responsibilities in the world around you and a healthy appreciation of others.
Mary: When was African-American Unschoolers formed?
Courtney: In August, 2004, but the idea to create a forum for African-American Unschoolers began in 1997. Back then, I was new to "homeschooling" and naively assumed that all homeschoolers approached education, as I did. As I sought out local homeschoolers, I learned that my approach to education was to some "unorthodox" and "un-school." In 1997, I went online to investigate this new word -unschool-and discovered a community of homeschoolers - unschoolers -- who shared similar approaches to family life and education. I found the discussions lively and enlightening, yet much of what was shared was specific to the interests and needs of parents raising Caucasian children. I found a few African-American Homeschooling listservs and a few families had web sites and message boards, but the Internet did not have a comprehensive, "one-stop" place for cultural and academic resources. Finally, after years of complaining about what I needed and tired of waiting for someone else to provide it, I created it myself. Today, African-American Unschoolers have two listservs (one for teens, one for parents), a web site, and a bimonthly E-Zine. We are an active national network -- Last month, one of our members spoke at the Live & Learn Unschooling Conference in Massachusetts, and as we speak, plans are being made for another trip to the Grand Canyon and a tour of Spain in 2005.
Mary: I just read your July/August issue of FUNgasa. What is the purpose of FUNgasa? Can you explain the meaning of the name?
Courtney: FUNgasa: Free Oneself! The Magazine for African-American Home Educators, exists to give voice to, and provide a mirror for African-American Homeschoolers. FUNgasa is about family learning and shows how our rich cultural heritage colors our homeschooling experience. The name comes from the Kiswahili word, fungasa, a verb meaning to free oneself. We emphasize "fun," because leading a learning lifestyle is just that, "Fun!"
Mary: Your web page has a wealth of information for those wanting to learn more about African-American heritage. Your "From the Editor" section, "Under the Baobab Tree" is a delightful example of preserving your heritage while sharing it with others. Would you explain more about this sacred symbol?
Courtney: Yes, the Baobab is greatly symbolic and always reminds me of "home, family and community." Baobabs are native to the continent of Africa and are sacred symbols revered for their long life and many uses for food, medicine, tools and shelter. The Tree of Life, as it is often referred to, grows 75 feet tall with an enormous trunk 60 feet in circumference. Some of these trees are over 2000 years old, and for generations have served as meeting places for villages to discuss community matters, relate the news of the day and to tell stories. The things I write about in "Under the Baobab" often come from subjects discussed on the African-American Unschool listserv, a community of African-American homeschool moms and dads who share resources and experiences from their homeschooling journeys.
Mary: I view the home-education lifestyle of living and learning with our families as toolbox that protects and strengthens each family that utilizes it. Have you seen this to be true in the African-American home-education community?
Courtney: Yes I have. Homeschooling can be such an asset to the family, and ultimately the community as a whole. Just looking at my own family, I can tell you that my children have strong bonds with their siblings and have a great deal of affection for my husband and I. Our family really "works," and this is due in large part to homeschooling, which sets a healthy model for the type of interactions my children have with those outside of our family.
Mary: I read at your site that you are writing a book about the diversity of African-American Homeschoolers and the resources they use for homeschooling success. How is that project going?
Courtney: Really well! I've already begun interviewing families and the more people find out about this project, the longer my interview list gets! The African-American homeschooling community is very generous and resourceful. There are so many interesting families who are homeschooling now, or did so in the past, and future homeschoolers will really benefit from their experiences. Several veteran homeschoolers will be contributing to the resource guide as well, making this a unique resource. An online survey will be available soon to gather even more information, and of course, if anyone would like to complete the survey offline they can send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to FUNgasa Magazine at 7549 W. Cactus Road, Suite #104-340, Peoria, AZ 85381.
Mary: Courtney, thank you for this wonderful work and thank you for sharing your work, your unschooling passion and your time with us this month!
Courtney: Thank you, Mary.
African American Unschoolers url is: www.afamunschool.com/index.html
They are also listed at the HEM Support Group Pages: www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_groups.html
~August's Question - Do you have a conference coming up?
H.E.A.R.T.S sent the following Press Release:
Building on the success of their first project, H.E.A.R.T.S. (Homeschoolers Educating, Assisting, & Reaching-out Through Service) will be kicking off their fall project 'Hats for the Homeless' on September 18, 2004 at the Unschoolers Network Conference at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft. They hope you will attend this conference where they will be collecting donations of hats, scarves, mittens, gloves and socks for New York City's Hats of the Homeless program. Michele Pulis of H.E.A.R.T.S. will be introducing Kathleen Crewes, right hand woman of Patch Adams' for his Gesundheit Foundation for ten years, who will be speaking about The Joys of Volunteering. The H.E.A.R.T.S.' Hats for the Homeless project will have a collection table near the conference registration desk. Please bring a donation on September 18th and enjoy the volunteer session and the rest of the conference. Conference information is available at www.unschooling.org/UnNet/Conference.htm.
H.E.A.R.T.S.' first project collected approximately 68 containers of goods, consisting mostly of school supplies, which were distributed to 17 domestic violence shelters throughout 17 counties in New Jersey. We invite you to join in making this project equally successful.
~ISSUES TO WATCH
On August 15, 2004, The Boston Globe printed an article about home-educators called "Reading, writing & right-wing politics".
This fall, conservative Christian homeschoolers will hit the campaign trail for George Bush and other candidates who support their political agenda "Why aren't liberal homeschoolers following suit?"
The article is posted at: http://tinyurl.com/5mu3c . In my opinion, Home Educators are far too diverse to be typecast in this manner.
Advocates for Home Education in Massachusetts (AHEM) recently wrote an excellent rebuttal to the article. Here is a sample of what they had to say: "When faced with questions about the nature of homeschoolers, we must emphasize the political, religious, philosophical, and social diversity that characterizes the movement. We must encourage media portrayals of homeschoolers that accurately reflect our diversity. And we must maintain our group strength by focusing on homeschooling, the commonality we all share, and not involve homeschooling in political issues that have nothing to do with homeschooling." Please visit AHEM's site to to read "Clearing Our Throats: Dichotomy Debunked" in it's entirety at www.ahem.info/CurrentNews.htm
~WEB UPDATES AND RESOURCES
AHA-HighSchool-College Forum
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-HighSchool-College/
AHA-StateActivism is a newly formed discussion group. As the name says, this group discusses homeschooling-related activism on a number of issues on the state level.
Join today at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-StateActivism/
Live Free Learn Free
www.livefreelearnfree.com/
A print magazine for unschoolers and relaxed homeschoolers in which to share ideas, stories, and experiences.
Military Unschooler's - Not Back to School
www.militaryhomeschoolers.com/
Tracking and Identifying Students in CT.
www.cthomeschoolnetwork.org/TrackingInfo.htm
~HEM Support Group Resources
Home Education Magazine Articles and Columns
www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_HEM.html
HEM's News and Commentary
www.homeedmag.com/whts_nw.html
HEM's Online Newsletter
www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_hemnewsltr.html
Be sure to bookmark Home Education Magazine's Support Group page, which can be accessed at:
www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_groups.html
If you need your listing updated or your group would like to be added, email me at Support Groups Email and it will be added in a timely manner.
See you next month!
Mary Nix
HEM's Support Group Liaison
Support Groups Email
www.homeedmag.com/wlcm_groups.html
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