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May 2001
In the May issue:
~ Big Hairy Audacious Goals ~
~ Congratulations New Mexico ~
~ New HEM email lists ~
~ Don't you hate when that happens! ~
~ HEM Online Resources ~
~ deschooling.org ~
~ Critters ~
~ Seven Times Smarter ~
~ The Final Word ~
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So you can be your kids' best teacher simply by turning them loose in your basement, backyard, or garage. On their own they'll discover hundreds of ways to get smarter, with little prompting and no money changing hands. Using simple things like muffin tins, scrap wood, recycled cans, and old shoes, they can launch a learning festival that will run for years.
~~ Laurel Schmidt in Seven Times Smarter (reviewed below) ~~
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BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOALS
http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/183/mjgoals.html
Last spring I learned an acronym that changed the lives of my kids: B-HAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goals. My husband's company set their long-term goals using that term and I thought, "Aha! Perfect for homeschool."
So I asked my kids what big, hairy, audacious, sky's-the-limit kind of goals they would like to pursue while they're still kids at home. I was startled by the clarity and unique vision of each child.
My oldest son, Noah (13), said that he'd like to act in a Shakespeare play, learn to design computer games and play the piano. Piano, it turns out, was the secret passion of Noah's heart. He had wanted lessons for years and began to well up with tears when he told me that his life would be happy if he could just learn how to play. Gulp! How come I hadn't known that?
Next in line was my daughter, Johannah (11). She reeled off two enormous projects that took my breath away. She wants to produce a Jane Austen-style ball instead of a high school prom for herself and other homeschooled friends. In order to do it, she needs to take vintage dance lessons, then hold classes to teach these dances to other kids. In addition, she plans to learn how to sew the dresses from that era so that she can make costumes.
Her second goal (as if that one didn't already overwhelm me) is to direct her own production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. "And I'm going to do it, Mom," she told me emphatically. I didn't doubt her!
When I was a kid, school provided me with sensible goals that wouldn't interfere with my parents' lives too much. I wasn't taught to dream about bigger-than-life projects that would require driving all over kingdom come or that would oblige my family to participate in my areas of interest. Instead, I joined the pre-fab school organizations that offered me bite-sized experiences of the interests I had. Certainly some of my teachers rose above the mediocrity and contributed profoundly to my life, but on the whole, most of my school life was keenly managed and required mere compliance from me. I didn't own the experiences and I certainly didn't orchestrate them.
Enter the B-HAG into our family. Suddenly I'm on a radical learning curve led by my kids. It dawned on me that instead of micro-managing their experiences, I could throw myself into their big dreams by offering the kind of support that an adult can give to a young person - I can drive, I can look stuff up in the phone book, on the Internet and in the community papers, I can fix hair to look like Lizzie Bennett.
What I don't have to muster is the energy to "get up" for these activities. We've found that the B-HAG itself drives our children to a level of motivation that releases energy throughout the family.
~ Julie Bogart in the May/June 2001 issue of Home Education Magazine ~
You can read the rest of this article at our website at: http://www.homeedmag.com/HEM/183/mjgoals.html For more great articles like Julie's, look for Home Education Magazine at your favorite bookstore or follow the subscription instructions at the end of this article.
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NEW MEXICAN HOMESCHOOLERS WIN!
Homeschoolers in New Mexico worked hard to change an oppressive homeschool law that required mandatory testing and THEY WON! No more state-mandated testing for these homeschoolers. The relevant section of the law reads as follows:
45th Legislature, First Session, Laws 2001, Chapter 62, Senate Bill 374 as amended
22-1-2.1 HOME SCHOOL -- REQUIREMENTS.-- Any person operating or intending to operate a home school shall:
A. within thirty days of its establishment, notify the state superintendent of the establishment of a home school within thirty days of its establishment and notify the state superintendent in writing on or before April 1 of each subsequent year of operation of the school district from which the home school is drawing students;
B. maintain records of student disease immunization or a waiver of that requirement; and
C. provide instruction by a person possessing at least a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Congratulations New Mexico homeschoolers, on a job well done! You can find more information at the CAPE-NM website at http://www.cape-nm.org.
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NEW HEM EMAIL LISTS
The HOMESCHOOLING RESOURCES email discussion list focuses on materials and resources of interest to homeschooling families. The list welcomes press releases, product announcements, news and information about books, videos, catalogs, websites, software, games, publications, conferences and much more. If you have a press release or other informational message, feel free to post it to our un-moderated Homeschooling Resources list. If you're looking for homeschool resources, writing a homeschool newsletter, or if you offer a homeschool website with lists of resources, you'll love this list.
For further information, to post a press release or message, or to join the HEM Resource list please visit the website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HomeschoolingResources
And there's our new HOMESCHOOLING MOVIELOVERS list, created just for Movielovers! Join us for discussion of the best new movies, the best old videos, and everything in between. Share your favorite movie moments, discuss background details, movie goofs, favorite actors and actresses, and yes - even how movies can be used in homeschooling. But this isn't strictly a "how to enrich your curriculum" list - it's just for homeschoolers of all ages who love movies!
To subscribe, send an email to: Homeschooling-Movielovers-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Or subscribe at the website at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homeschooling-Movielovers
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UNSCHOOLING.COM
http://www.unschooling.com
Most of us have forgotten what it was like to follow our own noses, to ask our own questions and find our own answers. Years of educational treatment have convinced us that learning is, and can only be, the result of teaching. We grow up into adults who insist that our children "receive" an education. We trust neither ourselves nor our children.
~~ Aaron Falbel ~~
Unschooling.com offers a free monthly newsletter, message boards, weekly essays, an email list and more just for unschoolers. Check it out!
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DON'T YOU JUST HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!
Two months ago I sent the plea below, asking you to ask me questions. Two weeks ago, during a hard drive spring cleaning, my email programs were deleted. I don't know how many emails you've saved over the past 7 years, but I lost a bunch-including all the wonderful questions readers had sent me. So if you sent me a question and I told you I'd consider answering it in a future column, that probably won't happen unless you are kind enough to send it again. If you didn't send me a question, don't let this mishap deter you! I'm backing everything up these days and I'd love to hear what you have to say.
Do you have questions about homeschooling that you never seem to find the answer for? Are you struggling with a part of homeschooling that you'd like to get advice about? Is there a question you'd like to see answered so you can show the answer to friends or family who don't seem to get what homeschoolers do? If you answered yes to any of MY questions, this is your chance to send YOUR question to me! In every issue of Home Education Magazine, I answer one or two questions in a column called Ask Carol. Some of the questions I've been asked are:
* Can I homeschool if I have a tattoo and ride a Harley?
* What if my kids won't work?
* How can I unschool and still test?
* How can I homeschool with a toddler in the house?
If you have a troubling or intriguing question, a funny or serious question, or just want to dig a little deeper into homeschooling issues, let me know by sending an email to AskCarol@homeedmag.com. Or you can send a letter by snail mail to Carol Narigon c/o Home Education Magazine, PO Box 1083, Tonasket WA 98855.
Questions will be edited for length and clarity.
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HEM RESOURCES
http://www.homeedmag.com/HSRSC/hsrsc_gn.html
HEM's online resources page was updated last month to provide you with the best, most current information on popular homeschool resources such as book catalogs, software companies, curricula providers, math and science resources and more. Check it out at the web address above.
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DESCHOOLING.ORG
http://www.deschooling.org
"What would a world without school be like? Without certified experts? Without forced associations? Coerced tests and grades? Arbitrary rules? We don't mean just for children, but for all of society. What would the ripple effects be? In Chicken Run, Ginger said, "You know what the problem is here. The fence isn't just around the farm. It's up here, in your heads." This is our humble attempt at tearing down the fence in our heads.
Deschooling.org will post original articles exploring the effects of compulsory schooling on society and what a world returned to intellectual liberty might look like. We are firm believers in the moral imperative of liberty, so Illich's...insight (read it at the website) will be applied using liberty as our prism."
Whether you agree with everything you read there or not, you will find thought-provoking articles and intelligent discourse at the deschooling.org website.
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CRITTERS
http://www.nahee.org
Why do deer have smelly feet? What animal is the world's best jumper? When do chickens do the cha-cha? What happens if you tickle a rat? Find out with the KIND News Book of Critter Clues and the KIND News Book of Critter Views, two books that are sure to be a hit with your homeschoolers!
Recently published by the nonprofit National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE), these pocket-sized books make reading, learning, and natural science a blast with their kid- friendly formats and quirky facts about animals and their behaviors. Both books can be used by students alone or in groups, while homeschooling parents can easily incorporate them into their lessons.
The KIND News Book of Critter Clues features fun (and tricky) clues to 30 familiar wild animals and pets. Answer keys reveal the identities of mystery critters plus fascinating facts about their behaviors, history and habitats. The KIND News Book of Critter Views is packed with humorous illustrations and amazing but true tales from the world of animals. Information for the books was culled from KIND (Kids In Nature's Defense) News, NAHEE's award-winning newspaper for elementary school-age children.
The KIND News Book of Critter Clues and the KIND News Book of Critter Views are priced at just $2.50 each. To order online, visit www.nahee.org.
(Editor's note: My 10-year-old animal lover reviewed the Critter books and here's what she has to say: "As for Critter Clues, it was a wonderful, interesting book with lots of info on the habits and strange preferences of many different animals, including humans. Critter Views was great, with creative illustrations and weird, fun facts. For example, I didn't know shrews eat three times their small weight every day!")
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SEVEN TIMES SMARTER
All of those books based on Howard Gardner's seven (eight now) intelligences are innovative, interesting and really hit home for many homeschoolers, but how do you put the theory into practical use in your own home? Laurel Schmidt's book Seven Time Smarter: 50 Activities, Games, and Projects to Develop the Seven Intelligences of Your Child can not only help, most of the activities are perfect for unschooling and homeschooling families. In fact, Schmidt says about schools, "With all these ways of being smart, why do so many kids feel dumb? One big reason is school, which can be a crushing experience for any kid, unless they have strong linguistic and mathematical intelligence... So you can be your kids' best teacher simply by turning them loose in your basement, backyard, or garage. On their own they'll discover hundreds of ways to get smarter, with little prompting, and no money changing hands."
Schmidt believes parents should let kids explore and create on their own. For instance, she recommends making "un-models" by throwing away the instructions for model kits and letting kids put them together their own way or by mixing up the pieces of several models and seeing what they come up with. She's also a big fan of boredom, believing as many homeschoolers do that boredom encourages imagination. Kids are much more likely to build a fort from tables and sheets if they aren't being shuttled from one "enrichment" opportunity to another. You provide the sheets and card tables.
Eleven chapters show you ways to encourage your child's creativity and intelligence, mostly using materials you have around the house or recycled "junk." Each chapter offers several options, geared toward the particular intelligences, for investigating different topics including families and self; movement and sound; odds and ends (junk); writing; handmade tasks; books; art; out-of-doors and your community. Many of the sections in the chapters also include a list of books or other resources to encourage reading and further exploration.
Seven Times Smarter is available through your favorite bookseller or from Amazon.com for $15.00 ($12 at Amazon).
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HEM ONLINE NEWS UNCLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
For information on purchasing unclassified advertising space in this newsletter, please contact the editor at Newsletter Email.
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USBORNE
UsborneAmerica.com
New titles for Spring and Summer are here -- including Internet-Linked history and science books! Shop online and earn FREE and discounted books. Visit our Books from Britain bookstore at: http://www.UsborneAmerica.com. Home business opportunity--information available onsite. Email SharonVE@aol.com or call 888-474-8499 toll free. Sharon Vander Ende, Independent Executive Supervisor.
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GNARLY MATH
gnarlymath.com
THESEUS KILLS THE MINOTAUR and escapes from the labyrinth! You, too, can learn how to escape next time you're lost in a maze, if you click on http://www.gnarlymath.com and read our free hilarious math newsletter, the Gnarly Gnews, dated 1480 BC at Knossos. The Gnews also tells how the ancient Cretans jumped bulls for fun. And you'll learn about our money-back-guaranteed CD-ROM Solid Gold Gnarly Math, which brings humor to Geometry, Algebra, Trig, Probability, Numbers and Topology.
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HANDY HOMESCHOOL HELPER for English ages 6 to 11
http://www.ies.tradeplaza.co.nz
How to help children with English: speeches, research projects, spelling, book reviews, proofreading, interview techniques, story writing, letter writing, posters and comprehension skills. International Education Services have other great English resources for homeschoolers aged 11 to 17. We offer novel studies, skills units, genre studies, poetry and drama units as well as our Reading Tutoring Program, with constructive guidelines for helping your child become an independent reader. Student and support material are included with each unit. Visit our web site for details.
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ABC of LIFE
http://abc-of-life.com/someofthis.htm
Free EBook (I.E. 4.0+, Windows 95, or later, required). 300-plus pages of useful information - including articles on ecology, psychology, ezines, science, and search engines, as well as sections with quotations - some are humorous but all are thought-provoking; a smattering of poetry; and hundreds of organized e-commerce links. In addition, learn about the Gamut Project, an educational tool for the Internet, and also find out about a variety of home-based business products/services which pay 50% COMMISSION.
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HOME EDUCATION MAGAZINE
http://www.homeedmag.com
The May/June issue of HEM includes profiles of the HEM Supporting Staff - those hardworking individuals who answer the phones, maintain databases, fill orders, design ads, manage websites, and edit our free newsletters like this one!
The May/June issue of Home Education Magazine also features articles on unschooling, setting goals, graduating, resistant relatives, dealing with a rabid duck and much more! Columnists: Carol Narigon writes about The Prom; Becky Rupp shares resources for letter writing; Jeff Kelety goes bummin', and David Albert cashes in the reality check! Other columnists include Linda Dobson, Laura Weldon, Larry and Susan Kaseman, Barbara Theisen, and Peter Kowalke. Subscriptions to Home Education Magazine are currently $32.00 for one year/6 issues; single issue $6.50. Home Education Magazine, PO Box 1083, Tonasket WA 98855; for orders: toll-free 1-800-236-3278; email Info. MC/Visa cards accepted. DON'T MISS IT!
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FINAL WORD
We provide time for doing the thinking. Doing schoolwork is learning about other folks' thoughts, but doing your own thinking is what counts. Time for playing, time for experimenting, time for just sitting and pondering--these are the luxuries that gift the child with thinking skills beyond the ordinary.
~~ Kathleen McCurdy, homeschool@familylearning.org ~~
See you next month!
Carol Narigon, Newsletter Editor
Newsletter Email
Mark and Helen Hegener, Publishers of Home Education Magazine
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