Daniel, from Diamond Springs, CA USA just finished his last monthly report for our High School Diploma Program. I never know how students respond to the writing assignment unless they tell me. And it's always gratifying to hear from students who report that they enjoyed the program and found it valuable. Here is Daniel's last paragraph of his report:
"There's no point in beating around the bush...this is my last report and it was fun. I enjoyed reading my creations and I also enjoyed reading your responses. I think I really learned something about myself. Before your program, I didn’t like to write much and avoided it whenever I could. After writing the reports, I’ve learned that writing isn’t so bad and I actually like to write. I can’t believe that I’m graduating high school! I know that this is just the beginning and not the end and I look forward to seeing where my life takes me. And now I know if it involves writing, I can handle it."
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Lifelong Unschooler's Reflections on her Journey
Chelsea is a 2011 graduate from Plymouth, MA USA. She unschooled her whole life and shares her perspective. I think you'll find her essay helpful in understanding the value of unschooling to the student.
"At first glance one might not even see home schooling (un-schooling) as learning at all; that is, if you are viewing it through the traditional education vantage point. People are fascinated when I tell them I home school. I've gotten a lot of practice finding ways to explain "what do you do?". My answer is a variation of the following: I explore, draw, laugh, play, create, search, talk, listen, swim, work out, participate, ask, help, daydream, connect, work, take classes, hike, camp, travel and help family.
"Through unschooling I have learned to follow my passion without restraint. The freedom of this type of education has given me time to explore interests and form concrete ideas about what I want to achieve. I've learned to create opportunities for myself and pursued knowledge just for the sake of it. I haven't been "practicing" for the real world, I've been living it. In my mind, if I'm living I'm learning. I understand for most people education is a separate part of life and that's really ingrained in how they see it, but for me learning is really nothing more or less than living my life as fully as I can. The rest falls into place. Life and learning don't have to be separate things. Unschooling is not unlearning as there's lots of learning happening everyday. I like that I have the freedom to question what society says is right and normal. I ask questions and seek my own answers. I have the freedom to discuss anything and that's just part of the beauty of "life" teaching you. The answers often change and that's ok. Change is totally cool with my family and actually being able to change is half the lesson. I love that life as an unschooler isn't rigid. There is time to sit and have slow deep thoughts. That's something our culture avoids; everyone is in such a rush. Sitting and thinking is never a waste of time. I think many people have forgotten that learning from life is how humans learned for most of our existence. Every person in my life is a learning opportunity just waiting to happen. I think one of my strengths is my ability to listen and ask questions, thus creating opportunities for myself. How does one fit this sort of learning into a neat little box so it can be labeled?
"I have always found it amazing that home schooling has been falsely connected to lack of socialization. I'm highly social, as are many of my home school friends. Of course that's how I want it and I'm equally aware that some people prefer small groups of very close friends. Through the years, my family and I have taken part in both group and solitary activities. I've done hundreds of sleep-overs and my mom puts on parties, pot luck dinners, art activities, and lots of other events. The adults all join in and it makes the events interesting. I think this has helped me develop good communication as well as planning/organizational skills. I feel really comfortable with people of all ages. One thing I've learned is that unschooling makes really motivated and independent people. I think that's because If we don't do it no one else will do it for us. I've been empowered by directing my own learning and this motivates me to be creative in my problem solving. This has proven to be a life skill that helps me time and time again.
"I've never felt forced into activities and I like that I was part of the decision-making along the way. This isn't to say my Mom didn't make suggestions, but at the end of the day I was part of the process and that felt right. My family and I have done a lot of life exploring together. That said, when you spend 24/7 with your family things can sometimes get heated. In my mind arguing and learning to battle is a lesson as valuable as any other. One needs to understand how to resolve conflict and with all my practice, I'm a pro at it! I'm planning to pursue a career in nursing and I believe my conflict resolution skills will make me a good nursing student as well as an asset to my employer one day.
"I've had more fascinating conversations through the years than I can recall. In our family, conversations start one place and flow endlessly into other places. I love when this happens, as we laugh so hard at ourselves! My Nana is a big talker and we all follow her lead. Speaking of my Nana, I should tell you some about our relationship as she has been a huge influence in my life. I feel fortunate to have been able to spend a huge amount of time with her. When my Mom and Dad were divorcing, we spent several winters living with her. This was a difficult time for my family and having my Nana there made us all feel better. She is full of stories and loves sharing them with us. She is an amazing woman. I've learned a lot about her life and I respect her devotion to other people. She is so independent yet giving of her time and loving. Having emotionally invested role models is a great gift of security. I never worry about "what if?". I watched the adults in my life resolve important issues and in some cases I took part in the solution.
"One of the best things about unschooling is no two journeys are the same. It's individual and based around your own interests. My interests have changed through the years. I've outgrown many of my interests and adopted new ones. I've enjoyed sewing, knitting, painting, learning guitar, pottery, drawing, acting, hiking, kayaking, camping, languages, building things and breaking things! As a home schooled child, I could take advantage of the vastness of the world around me. When you realize that learning is a choice, so many things become interesting and you realize you really can pursue anything you want. I have had control over what I do with my time and I have control over my life, too. This type of journey is really empowering and empowered people do well in life because they have a strong self-esteem. I hear they are beginning to teach self esteem classes in schools; I can't help but wonder how they do this.
"Our family spent a lot of time camping. Each year we would pack up and head to Vermont for two weeks and Maine for two weeks. We escaped modern day electronics (cell phones didn't work) and this forced us to find other ways to entertain ourselves. We would go hiking, swimming, play cards, ride bikes, catch crayfish and have great camp fires in the evening. Some times another family joined us and that was always really fun. We were always sad to leave when the two weeks passed. I still have a passion for camping and my friends and I went alone for a few days last summer. We planned the entire trip. The trip was a success other than the rain every day!
"I feel confident about the person I've become. I've learned that not knowing something isn't the end of the world. Learning doesn't stop at age 18; it's forever. I'm happy I've learned there isn't a magical body of knowledge that all people must know in order to gain success. The government doesn't know what I need; I know what I need. I haven't spent my life learning to benefit the system; I've spent my life learning about myself and what I can do to benefit myself and others in my community. That process built my self-esteem. If I don't have a certain skill (and if I need it), I know how to find people who posses the knowledge I lack. There is a huge amount of information out there and it is unrealistic to think we should know everything. I'd rather know how to tap into others as a resource for help and knowledge. It's great knowing I'm surrounded by people who willingly share their lives with me.
"Having been raised outside the educational norm does put some uneasy thoughts in one's head. Its not that I believe those thoughts, but they are in the background whispering to me sometimes. It's the doubt other people impose when they ask all the typical questions about home schooling. I started taking college classes a few years ago to prepare for my future and it's been a blend of experiences. At first I felt a bit insecure and anxious because of the doubts. My learning style was very different; thus, I had to make adjustments. It didn't take long for me to get into the swing and comfort soon followed. I discovered I really like psychology and I dislike mathematics. I love the arts and dislike writing, but haven't taken creative writing yet so that could be interesting. I'm look forward to that. Nutrition is an interest of mine and I'll begin checking out classes my college offers. I have learned I can be hard on myself and I need to keep that in check. Sometimes it works for me and other times it works against me. Finding the balance will be key to my success. When reflecting on my college experiences, I find a few things that stand out immediately. The first is the attitude difference between my peers and me. I see formal education as a privilege and something to be taken seriously and they are busy texting, showing up late or not showing up at all. Formal education is seen as a right or given for people who attend college directly out of high school. I had to earn my formal education and understand I can also lose it. Learning is life and life is learning; why would I not take my life seriously? It all seems like common sense to me. Through the years I've learned to respect and enjoy my teachers (people) and the school folks seem to see teachers as just doing a job, thus not requiring respect. Our points of view are very different.
" When I think back to home schooling when we were very young, my mind gets flooded with great memories! My siblings and I built forts, created our own games, buried treasures and spent much of our time outside. We started a nature net program with other families and that was just great. We spent time every month in Boston visiting museums and exploring. My mom and Nana drove with us from Maine to Florida. We stopped at cool places along our way. It was a great trip. I don't remember all the museums (I've seen pictures) but I do remember the sea turtles, eagles, alligators, swamps, and caverns. I also remember feeling very happy and satisfied. Traveling remains a passion and I love long road trips! I feel confident in my ability to get from one place to another no matter the distance and I don't need a Garmin.
"My family has helped many people through the years. My mom is a crisis networking type and we all learned how to organize help for others in need. We would focus on the pleasure of helping people we cared for through difficult times. If we cooked dinner for Silke, we would often run into others helping her. The conversations were fun and often led to other events. I believe I'm a compassionate person who makes a difference in the lives of others. These experiences taught me so much about life and my place in it as an adult. I watched adults organize, express sadness, deal with great stress and even loss. I was home to witness the adults in my life get through difficult times as better people. We are a strong, loving bunch and I'm lucky to be part of this!
"When I was 14 we began staying more local as my Dad's mom became ill and he needed help caring for her. My siblings and I took turns watching her days and some evenings as we got older. We did this for four years and it was a huge responsibility. We all had to give up a lot, but I wouldn't change a thing. My grandmother was finally placed into a nursing home last July. This turn of events was very sad, but her needs required professional help. Taking care of another person can be a challenge and I feel proud that we accomplished our goal of keeping her home as long as possible. We knew she appreciated it, too. I think this life experience helped me with my decision to go into nursing. Caring for my grandmother was rewarding and I think it would be a nice career.
"Being home gave me time to learn how to care for myself physically as well. As far back as I can recall, I cooked real meals and my mom taught us about good nutrition. We wrote grocery lists and did the shopping together. One of my jobs was to clean and organize the fridge when we got home with all the fresh foods. We all had our jobs and it was nice to know I was needed (not that I always like it!). Being aware of nutrition and good health naturally flowed into understanding the need for physical activity. I have been going to the gym for years now and I just love it. My friends and I plan all sorts of physical activities from tag football to ice skating.
"When I look toward my future, I don't see a path carved in stone but rather an opening into a vast forest. There are a lot of unknowns. I want to explore and learn more from people I meet along my way. I'm excited about beginning a career that I believe I'll enjoy. My strong communication and conflict resolution skills should be helpful in the high-stress environment of nursing. Nurses are often the calm in an emotional as well as physical storm. When my Dad was recently hospitalized, I enjoyed helping him relax and the nurses helped us feel comfortable. We were so scared and It was nice to see the workers calm and focused on my dad's health. I look forward to being part of the health care system.
"I'm looking forward to living on my own and spending extended periods away from my family. I'm looking forward to having my own place and making new friends. It's going to be great and I'm ready for the change. As I said earlier, when one home schools, life is all about learning with family. Having my own space will be a refreshing change. I'm not worried about moving forward as I feel I have good knowledge and skills to make the transition smooth. Moving into a different place in life is so exciting!
"At the end of the day I'm happy I was unschooled. I'm a well-rounded, interesting, happy person who has good values. I have a family who really knows me and accepts me for who I am. I feel loved and encouraged. My support system is immense and my good friends many. I've been respected and valued; thus I respect and value others. I'm a good person who works hard to contribute to society and my family. I define this as true success. I understand I'm a good learner and now I understand I'm a good student in the more traditional sense of the word. I feel I will do well in life."
"At first glance one might not even see home schooling (un-schooling) as learning at all; that is, if you are viewing it through the traditional education vantage point. People are fascinated when I tell them I home school. I've gotten a lot of practice finding ways to explain "what do you do?". My answer is a variation of the following: I explore, draw, laugh, play, create, search, talk, listen, swim, work out, participate, ask, help, daydream, connect, work, take classes, hike, camp, travel and help family.
"Through unschooling I have learned to follow my passion without restraint. The freedom of this type of education has given me time to explore interests and form concrete ideas about what I want to achieve. I've learned to create opportunities for myself and pursued knowledge just for the sake of it. I haven't been "practicing" for the real world, I've been living it. In my mind, if I'm living I'm learning. I understand for most people education is a separate part of life and that's really ingrained in how they see it, but for me learning is really nothing more or less than living my life as fully as I can. The rest falls into place. Life and learning don't have to be separate things. Unschooling is not unlearning as there's lots of learning happening everyday. I like that I have the freedom to question what society says is right and normal. I ask questions and seek my own answers. I have the freedom to discuss anything and that's just part of the beauty of "life" teaching you. The answers often change and that's ok. Change is totally cool with my family and actually being able to change is half the lesson. I love that life as an unschooler isn't rigid. There is time to sit and have slow deep thoughts. That's something our culture avoids; everyone is in such a rush. Sitting and thinking is never a waste of time. I think many people have forgotten that learning from life is how humans learned for most of our existence. Every person in my life is a learning opportunity just waiting to happen. I think one of my strengths is my ability to listen and ask questions, thus creating opportunities for myself. How does one fit this sort of learning into a neat little box so it can be labeled?
"I have always found it amazing that home schooling has been falsely connected to lack of socialization. I'm highly social, as are many of my home school friends. Of course that's how I want it and I'm equally aware that some people prefer small groups of very close friends. Through the years, my family and I have taken part in both group and solitary activities. I've done hundreds of sleep-overs and my mom puts on parties, pot luck dinners, art activities, and lots of other events. The adults all join in and it makes the events interesting. I think this has helped me develop good communication as well as planning/organizational skills. I feel really comfortable with people of all ages. One thing I've learned is that unschooling makes really motivated and independent people. I think that's because If we don't do it no one else will do it for us. I've been empowered by directing my own learning and this motivates me to be creative in my problem solving. This has proven to be a life skill that helps me time and time again.
"I've never felt forced into activities and I like that I was part of the decision-making along the way. This isn't to say my Mom didn't make suggestions, but at the end of the day I was part of the process and that felt right. My family and I have done a lot of life exploring together. That said, when you spend 24/7 with your family things can sometimes get heated. In my mind arguing and learning to battle is a lesson as valuable as any other. One needs to understand how to resolve conflict and with all my practice, I'm a pro at it! I'm planning to pursue a career in nursing and I believe my conflict resolution skills will make me a good nursing student as well as an asset to my employer one day.
"I've had more fascinating conversations through the years than I can recall. In our family, conversations start one place and flow endlessly into other places. I love when this happens, as we laugh so hard at ourselves! My Nana is a big talker and we all follow her lead. Speaking of my Nana, I should tell you some about our relationship as she has been a huge influence in my life. I feel fortunate to have been able to spend a huge amount of time with her. When my Mom and Dad were divorcing, we spent several winters living with her. This was a difficult time for my family and having my Nana there made us all feel better. She is full of stories and loves sharing them with us. She is an amazing woman. I've learned a lot about her life and I respect her devotion to other people. She is so independent yet giving of her time and loving. Having emotionally invested role models is a great gift of security. I never worry about "what if?". I watched the adults in my life resolve important issues and in some cases I took part in the solution.
"One of the best things about unschooling is no two journeys are the same. It's individual and based around your own interests. My interests have changed through the years. I've outgrown many of my interests and adopted new ones. I've enjoyed sewing, knitting, painting, learning guitar, pottery, drawing, acting, hiking, kayaking, camping, languages, building things and breaking things! As a home schooled child, I could take advantage of the vastness of the world around me. When you realize that learning is a choice, so many things become interesting and you realize you really can pursue anything you want. I have had control over what I do with my time and I have control over my life, too. This type of journey is really empowering and empowered people do well in life because they have a strong self-esteem. I hear they are beginning to teach self esteem classes in schools; I can't help but wonder how they do this.
"Our family spent a lot of time camping. Each year we would pack up and head to Vermont for two weeks and Maine for two weeks. We escaped modern day electronics (cell phones didn't work) and this forced us to find other ways to entertain ourselves. We would go hiking, swimming, play cards, ride bikes, catch crayfish and have great camp fires in the evening. Some times another family joined us and that was always really fun. We were always sad to leave when the two weeks passed. I still have a passion for camping and my friends and I went alone for a few days last summer. We planned the entire trip. The trip was a success other than the rain every day!
"I feel confident about the person I've become. I've learned that not knowing something isn't the end of the world. Learning doesn't stop at age 18; it's forever. I'm happy I've learned there isn't a magical body of knowledge that all people must know in order to gain success. The government doesn't know what I need; I know what I need. I haven't spent my life learning to benefit the system; I've spent my life learning about myself and what I can do to benefit myself and others in my community. That process built my self-esteem. If I don't have a certain skill (and if I need it), I know how to find people who posses the knowledge I lack. There is a huge amount of information out there and it is unrealistic to think we should know everything. I'd rather know how to tap into others as a resource for help and knowledge. It's great knowing I'm surrounded by people who willingly share their lives with me.
"Having been raised outside the educational norm does put some uneasy thoughts in one's head. Its not that I believe those thoughts, but they are in the background whispering to me sometimes. It's the doubt other people impose when they ask all the typical questions about home schooling. I started taking college classes a few years ago to prepare for my future and it's been a blend of experiences. At first I felt a bit insecure and anxious because of the doubts. My learning style was very different; thus, I had to make adjustments. It didn't take long for me to get into the swing and comfort soon followed. I discovered I really like psychology and I dislike mathematics. I love the arts and dislike writing, but haven't taken creative writing yet so that could be interesting. I'm look forward to that. Nutrition is an interest of mine and I'll begin checking out classes my college offers. I have learned I can be hard on myself and I need to keep that in check. Sometimes it works for me and other times it works against me. Finding the balance will be key to my success. When reflecting on my college experiences, I find a few things that stand out immediately. The first is the attitude difference between my peers and me. I see formal education as a privilege and something to be taken seriously and they are busy texting, showing up late or not showing up at all. Formal education is seen as a right or given for people who attend college directly out of high school. I had to earn my formal education and understand I can also lose it. Learning is life and life is learning; why would I not take my life seriously? It all seems like common sense to me. Through the years I've learned to respect and enjoy my teachers (people) and the school folks seem to see teachers as just doing a job, thus not requiring respect. Our points of view are very different.
" When I think back to home schooling when we were very young, my mind gets flooded with great memories! My siblings and I built forts, created our own games, buried treasures and spent much of our time outside. We started a nature net program with other families and that was just great. We spent time every month in Boston visiting museums and exploring. My mom and Nana drove with us from Maine to Florida. We stopped at cool places along our way. It was a great trip. I don't remember all the museums (I've seen pictures) but I do remember the sea turtles, eagles, alligators, swamps, and caverns. I also remember feeling very happy and satisfied. Traveling remains a passion and I love long road trips! I feel confident in my ability to get from one place to another no matter the distance and I don't need a Garmin.
"My family has helped many people through the years. My mom is a crisis networking type and we all learned how to organize help for others in need. We would focus on the pleasure of helping people we cared for through difficult times. If we cooked dinner for Silke, we would often run into others helping her. The conversations were fun and often led to other events. I believe I'm a compassionate person who makes a difference in the lives of others. These experiences taught me so much about life and my place in it as an adult. I watched adults organize, express sadness, deal with great stress and even loss. I was home to witness the adults in my life get through difficult times as better people. We are a strong, loving bunch and I'm lucky to be part of this!
"When I was 14 we began staying more local as my Dad's mom became ill and he needed help caring for her. My siblings and I took turns watching her days and some evenings as we got older. We did this for four years and it was a huge responsibility. We all had to give up a lot, but I wouldn't change a thing. My grandmother was finally placed into a nursing home last July. This turn of events was very sad, but her needs required professional help. Taking care of another person can be a challenge and I feel proud that we accomplished our goal of keeping her home as long as possible. We knew she appreciated it, too. I think this life experience helped me with my decision to go into nursing. Caring for my grandmother was rewarding and I think it would be a nice career.
"Being home gave me time to learn how to care for myself physically as well. As far back as I can recall, I cooked real meals and my mom taught us about good nutrition. We wrote grocery lists and did the shopping together. One of my jobs was to clean and organize the fridge when we got home with all the fresh foods. We all had our jobs and it was nice to know I was needed (not that I always like it!). Being aware of nutrition and good health naturally flowed into understanding the need for physical activity. I have been going to the gym for years now and I just love it. My friends and I plan all sorts of physical activities from tag football to ice skating.
"When I look toward my future, I don't see a path carved in stone but rather an opening into a vast forest. There are a lot of unknowns. I want to explore and learn more from people I meet along my way. I'm excited about beginning a career that I believe I'll enjoy. My strong communication and conflict resolution skills should be helpful in the high-stress environment of nursing. Nurses are often the calm in an emotional as well as physical storm. When my Dad was recently hospitalized, I enjoyed helping him relax and the nurses helped us feel comfortable. We were so scared and It was nice to see the workers calm and focused on my dad's health. I look forward to being part of the health care system.
"I'm looking forward to living on my own and spending extended periods away from my family. I'm looking forward to having my own place and making new friends. It's going to be great and I'm ready for the change. As I said earlier, when one home schools, life is all about learning with family. Having my own space will be a refreshing change. I'm not worried about moving forward as I feel I have good knowledge and skills to make the transition smooth. Moving into a different place in life is so exciting!
"At the end of the day I'm happy I was unschooled. I'm a well-rounded, interesting, happy person who has good values. I have a family who really knows me and accepts me for who I am. I feel loved and encouraged. My support system is immense and my good friends many. I've been respected and valued; thus I respect and value others. I'm a good person who works hard to contribute to society and my family. I define this as true success. I understand I'm a good learner and now I understand I'm a good student in the more traditional sense of the word. I feel I will do well in life."
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Horse Treat Business is Born
Erica, a 2011 graduate from Westport, Connecticut USA, loves horses and baking. She combined her loves and a business was born. Read on!
"One day, shortly before Valentine’s Day, my mom and I stopped into Earth Animal, a boutique that sells all natural pet food and supplies, because I wanted to buy some of the frosted Valentine’s Day themed shaped cookies for my horse, Casey. As I was paying for the cookies, I struck up a conversation with the manager, telling him that my horse absolutely loves the frosted cookies, and that’s why I buy them for him. The manager explained to me that he has often turned away other horse owners that came in looking for actual horse treats, because they didn’t sell them. I told him that I bake treats for my horse, using all natural ingredients. Upon hearing that I made homemade horse treats, the manager told me that if I baked a few of my horse treats, he would possibly sell them for me.
"I returned home, overjoyed. I decided on the recipes I was going to bake and made a shopping list for the ingredients needed, then went shopping at the grocery store. Two days later, I had all 5 horse treat recipes baked. After allowing the treats to “cure” overnight, I packaged them up in glass mason jars with bright red lids. I attached a cute red and white label tag and tied it to the jars with red and white dotted ribbon. I then arranged the jars in a white wire basket, lined with a red and white checked cloth. I typed a short product description, printed it and displayed it in the basket along with the jars.
"When I walked into the store carrying the basket of nicely displayed treats, the manager took one look at it and fell in love with it. I brought my basket of goodies over to the counter and he was so impressed, not only with the quality of the treats, but also with the packaging and display. He readily agreed to sell them in the store for me. He then went on to ask me many questions, such as how much it cost me to make them, and how much profit I needed to make. He also asked me how I was going to keep the treats fresh and from getting moldy in the packaging, and suggested those silica gel packets to remove excess moisture, due to the fact that my treats contain apples, molasses, and other foods that are moist in nature.
All of his questions made me realize that while I’m a great baker, I had not considered turning that hobby into a business before he suggested selling my horse treats. I now realize that I need to research and consider many new factors. I realize that I need to begin to talk with other business people who have experience and expertise in the areas of marketing, production and distribution, profit margins and other business factors that I know nothing about and have rarely considered. And so, while this is a very exciting proposition, I also realize that I have a very big learning curve ahead of me as I travel down this new path. Where it will ultimately lead, I cannot say at this point. However, I am beyond excited at the prospect of possibly turning a hobby of mine into a profitable business endeavor.
"The Chinese philosopher Confucius said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I am hoping that this will be a reality in my life, whatever job I choose. Who knows, perhaps it will be a horse treat business!"
"One day, shortly before Valentine’s Day, my mom and I stopped into Earth Animal, a boutique that sells all natural pet food and supplies, because I wanted to buy some of the frosted Valentine’s Day themed shaped cookies for my horse, Casey. As I was paying for the cookies, I struck up a conversation with the manager, telling him that my horse absolutely loves the frosted cookies, and that’s why I buy them for him. The manager explained to me that he has often turned away other horse owners that came in looking for actual horse treats, because they didn’t sell them. I told him that I bake treats for my horse, using all natural ingredients. Upon hearing that I made homemade horse treats, the manager told me that if I baked a few of my horse treats, he would possibly sell them for me.
"I returned home, overjoyed. I decided on the recipes I was going to bake and made a shopping list for the ingredients needed, then went shopping at the grocery store. Two days later, I had all 5 horse treat recipes baked. After allowing the treats to “cure” overnight, I packaged them up in glass mason jars with bright red lids. I attached a cute red and white label tag and tied it to the jars with red and white dotted ribbon. I then arranged the jars in a white wire basket, lined with a red and white checked cloth. I typed a short product description, printed it and displayed it in the basket along with the jars.
"When I walked into the store carrying the basket of nicely displayed treats, the manager took one look at it and fell in love with it. I brought my basket of goodies over to the counter and he was so impressed, not only with the quality of the treats, but also with the packaging and display. He readily agreed to sell them in the store for me. He then went on to ask me many questions, such as how much it cost me to make them, and how much profit I needed to make. He also asked me how I was going to keep the treats fresh and from getting moldy in the packaging, and suggested those silica gel packets to remove excess moisture, due to the fact that my treats contain apples, molasses, and other foods that are moist in nature.
All of his questions made me realize that while I’m a great baker, I had not considered turning that hobby into a business before he suggested selling my horse treats. I now realize that I need to research and consider many new factors. I realize that I need to begin to talk with other business people who have experience and expertise in the areas of marketing, production and distribution, profit margins and other business factors that I know nothing about and have rarely considered. And so, while this is a very exciting proposition, I also realize that I have a very big learning curve ahead of me as I travel down this new path. Where it will ultimately lead, I cannot say at this point. However, I am beyond excited at the prospect of possibly turning a hobby of mine into a profitable business endeavor.
"The Chinese philosopher Confucius said “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I am hoping that this will be a reality in my life, whatever job I choose. Who knows, perhaps it will be a horse treat business!"
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
From Argentina to Texas and Beyond!
Laura moved from Argentina to Houston, Texas as a young girl. After years of unhappy school experiences, she searched for an escape and came across unschooling. Now, a happy 2011 graduate, she writes in her last monthly report:
"These past four years have been the highlight of my teenage years. I’ll never forget this experience. These four years were the reward for those days I thought would never end. This saved my life. I’d never felt more confident, determined or focused before. The last time I felt like this was right after I left school. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. After beginning this four-year adventure, I realized it wasn’t about them; it wasn’t about proving anything. This was about me and finding out who I am. Thanking you for making this possible will never truly show how thankful I really am for changing my life. Finding your school was the most essential part of the beginning of my new life. I sincerely believe that this was meant to be. From the problems at school, to that afternoon when I was skipping class in that library and grabbed that book where I found out about unschooling… it was all meant to happen. At one point I believed I was the one who had to change, that the way I’d been raised wasn’t correct. I had the most wonderful four years, going from a person who was at her lowest, at times even wishing not to live, to someone who can’t wait to start school and be successful in life.
"Everyone sees the change; the sparkle is back. The educational biography has to be the most important assignment I’ve ever had. I read part of it when I was at work earlier today and I had to stop because I got teary-eyed. Your academy changed my life. Thank you so much, I’ll never forget that your school was the only one that gave me a chance when no one else would."
"These past four years have been the highlight of my teenage years. I’ll never forget this experience. These four years were the reward for those days I thought would never end. This saved my life. I’d never felt more confident, determined or focused before. The last time I felt like this was right after I left school. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. After beginning this four-year adventure, I realized it wasn’t about them; it wasn’t about proving anything. This was about me and finding out who I am. Thanking you for making this possible will never truly show how thankful I really am for changing my life. Finding your school was the most essential part of the beginning of my new life. I sincerely believe that this was meant to be. From the problems at school, to that afternoon when I was skipping class in that library and grabbed that book where I found out about unschooling… it was all meant to happen. At one point I believed I was the one who had to change, that the way I’d been raised wasn’t correct. I had the most wonderful four years, going from a person who was at her lowest, at times even wishing not to live, to someone who can’t wait to start school and be successful in life.
"Everyone sees the change; the sparkle is back. The educational biography has to be the most important assignment I’ve ever had. I read part of it when I was at work earlier today and I had to stop because I got teary-eyed. Your academy changed my life. Thank you so much, I’ll never forget that your school was the only one that gave me a chance when no one else would."
Friday, March 11, 2011
Wisdom from Canadian Graduate's Mother
Here is what a wise mom says about her daughter's graduation in 2011:
"My daughter may have completed the 12th grade but that knowledge is not the same as the knowledge she will encounter in the outside world. I remember oftentimes telling her about what my husband’s professor told his entire classroom upon graduating from the 5th year of university. He asked the whole class what the diploma means. Before anyone could give their opinion he proclaimed: “This piece of paper gives you the right to forget absolutely everything you’ve learned here.” In some ways he was right. I remember that once I started work after graduating from college, the academic knowledge that I received wasn’t the same as what was expected of me on the job. I’m not saying that the academics were not necessary in order to perform the tasks, but the manner in which they were executed were not at all the same as what was taught. I changed four companies during my employment and all of them had a different method according to what worked best for that company, and part of my job was to be able to adapt to that. In the end, theoretical knowledge is mainly there in order for the individual to figure out what it is they are interested in and which career path they want to pursue in life. The real test of knowledge comes once that person steps out into the world and is faced with the choices , responsibilities, and tasks that come with life."
"My daughter may have completed the 12th grade but that knowledge is not the same as the knowledge she will encounter in the outside world. I remember oftentimes telling her about what my husband’s professor told his entire classroom upon graduating from the 5th year of university. He asked the whole class what the diploma means. Before anyone could give their opinion he proclaimed: “This piece of paper gives you the right to forget absolutely everything you’ve learned here.” In some ways he was right. I remember that once I started work after graduating from college, the academic knowledge that I received wasn’t the same as what was expected of me on the job. I’m not saying that the academics were not necessary in order to perform the tasks, but the manner in which they were executed were not at all the same as what was taught. I changed four companies during my employment and all of them had a different method according to what worked best for that company, and part of my job was to be able to adapt to that. In the end, theoretical knowledge is mainly there in order for the individual to figure out what it is they are interested in and which career path they want to pursue in life. The real test of knowledge comes once that person steps out into the world and is faced with the choices , responsibilities, and tasks that come with life."
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Young Actress Succeeds with WRA
3/1/11
The mom of a young actress in Hollywood writes about her daughter's experience homeschooling while acting:
Katy is doing amazingly well with homeschooling! It has genuinely been the best thing we have ever done and I so wish we would have started it years ago! We purchased the Monarch on-line school system and she is in the 9th grade unit for all subjects except for math in which she is in 11th grade. They have a way to test them to see which program would be best and that is where she fell and I am happy to report that she is getting all A's and 1 B.
I can't express how much we appreciate the flexibility of working with West River Academy and it is just perfect for her learning style. She can do school when it is best for her and if she takes a few weeks off she can easily catch up at her own pace. So far she is ahead on every subject except for French and should be done by April but we let her work at her own pace. I'll send you a copy of her transcripts when she finishes. I talk with several other parents out here about school and the other programs seem very restrictive and more focused on scheduled teacher meetings rather than the kids themselves and what is in their best interest so I highly recommend you guys to everyone! There is a new mom moving to California and I think she will register with West River Academy this summer!
The mom of a young actress in Hollywood writes about her daughter's experience homeschooling while acting:
Katy is doing amazingly well with homeschooling! It has genuinely been the best thing we have ever done and I so wish we would have started it years ago! We purchased the Monarch on-line school system and she is in the 9th grade unit for all subjects except for math in which she is in 11th grade. They have a way to test them to see which program would be best and that is where she fell and I am happy to report that she is getting all A's and 1 B.
I can't express how much we appreciate the flexibility of working with West River Academy and it is just perfect for her learning style. She can do school when it is best for her and if she takes a few weeks off she can easily catch up at her own pace. So far she is ahead on every subject except for French and should be done by April but we let her work at her own pace. I'll send you a copy of her transcripts when she finishes. I talk with several other parents out here about school and the other programs seem very restrictive and more focused on scheduled teacher meetings rather than the kids themselves and what is in their best interest so I highly recommend you guys to everyone! There is a new mom moving to California and I think she will register with West River Academy this summer!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Ballet Dancer Finds Strength
Madeline, a 2011 diploma candidate from Oregon, USA writes in her November 2010 monthly report:
"I have recently been cast in a piece with the second company and that means lots of rehearsals with the director. After several hours of being singled out and yelled at, I took some time to think about what was going on. I knew that the director was a harsh and often offensive person, and that he would never hold back for fear of hurting my feelings, but what I didn’t understand was why he was picking me specifically.
"The first thing I had to consider was the fact that I had been paired with a pas de deux partner for the piece that was both inexperienced and immature. For a while I just became angry because I was getting yelled at for things that I knew were actually his fault, and I felt like he wasn’t even trying. With this frame of mind, we both continued to struggle and I felt like nothing was getting accomplished. Finally, I decided it was time to stop being silently frustrated, and time to get something accomplished. I began letting my partner know every time something was going wrong, and found the strength to tell him it needed to be fixed. I got him up to practice when he was sitting talking, and I made sure he was paying attention when the teacher was correcting. After all this I was expecting him to be upset with me, but instead as things began to improve, we both became more positive and encouraged. This really taught me that being too sweet and weak to tell someone something that’s bothering me may not be the best answer, and that it is helpful to have my own opinion.
"I then took the time to think about the personal reasons why I may be struggling in the rehearsals. I was missing some corrections that I usually would have gotten, and was having a hard time learning the choreography when I am generally a quick learner if I focus. It hit me when one of my good friends said to me, 'I can sense the fear when you are in rehearsal with him; he yells at you because he knows you’re afraid. I can see you shaking and that makes you seem weak; the last thing he wants is an innocent little girl.' They were right, I was afraid, and that was why I couldn’t focus the way I should. I have always struggled with my nerves and I knew that they were affecting me in a negative way. When I get nervous my muscles get very weak and shaky, which causes my legs to give out and is disastrous to my dancing. I made an active decision to relax and take care of my mental health. Nobody was worth having my dancing fall apart, and I know that I have something to offer, it is my job to enjoy my art form and give my best.
"Overall the lesson I learned this month was about having more strength in not only me as a dancer, but me as a person. I am proud of what I have accomplished and feel good about myself and the hard work I put in every day. I am doing what I love and I have that no matter what anybody thinks about me. I am glad to have the opportunities I do and am looking forward to the rest of this year."
"I have recently been cast in a piece with the second company and that means lots of rehearsals with the director. After several hours of being singled out and yelled at, I took some time to think about what was going on. I knew that the director was a harsh and often offensive person, and that he would never hold back for fear of hurting my feelings, but what I didn’t understand was why he was picking me specifically.
"The first thing I had to consider was the fact that I had been paired with a pas de deux partner for the piece that was both inexperienced and immature. For a while I just became angry because I was getting yelled at for things that I knew were actually his fault, and I felt like he wasn’t even trying. With this frame of mind, we both continued to struggle and I felt like nothing was getting accomplished. Finally, I decided it was time to stop being silently frustrated, and time to get something accomplished. I began letting my partner know every time something was going wrong, and found the strength to tell him it needed to be fixed. I got him up to practice when he was sitting talking, and I made sure he was paying attention when the teacher was correcting. After all this I was expecting him to be upset with me, but instead as things began to improve, we both became more positive and encouraged. This really taught me that being too sweet and weak to tell someone something that’s bothering me may not be the best answer, and that it is helpful to have my own opinion.
"I then took the time to think about the personal reasons why I may be struggling in the rehearsals. I was missing some corrections that I usually would have gotten, and was having a hard time learning the choreography when I am generally a quick learner if I focus. It hit me when one of my good friends said to me, 'I can sense the fear when you are in rehearsal with him; he yells at you because he knows you’re afraid. I can see you shaking and that makes you seem weak; the last thing he wants is an innocent little girl.' They were right, I was afraid, and that was why I couldn’t focus the way I should. I have always struggled with my nerves and I knew that they were affecting me in a negative way. When I get nervous my muscles get very weak and shaky, which causes my legs to give out and is disastrous to my dancing. I made an active decision to relax and take care of my mental health. Nobody was worth having my dancing fall apart, and I know that I have something to offer, it is my job to enjoy my art form and give my best.
"Overall the lesson I learned this month was about having more strength in not only me as a dancer, but me as a person. I am proud of what I have accomplished and feel good about myself and the hard work I put in every day. I am doing what I love and I have that no matter what anybody thinks about me. I am glad to have the opportunities I do and am looking forward to the rest of this year."
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
A Canadian Senior's Journey to Unschooling
A student originally from Croatia and now living in Canada writes about her journey from public school to homeschool to unschool as she enters her final year of high school. Here are excerpts from her educational biography:
"As a true homeschooler, I believe that my education didn’t start from the moment that I stepped into a school but rather the moment I came into the world, so I feel that it is only right to begin my educational biography from my beginnings.
"Originally, I am from Croatia. Croatian was the first language I learned, and it was the language in which I began to read at 3 years of age. That in and of itself is already a valid argument for the belief I stated previously.
"My mom regularly took me to the children’s section at the public library from an early age. There I would enthusiastically look through all of the picture books, both in Croatian and English, and take home the ones that I wanted to learn from that week. At home, my mom would sit with me and go through all of the books. I would always repeat them until I’d know them by heart, then I’d go back with my mom to the library again next week and pick some new ones to memorise, which delighted me greatly...
"...by grade 3, I had become too worn out to continue with public schooling. I found that I dreaded not only going to school in the morning, but also the learning itself was feeling as though it was just a burden and not an enjoyment as before.
"My mom knew that I was still unhappy in school and feared that I would lose whatever enjoyment of learning I had left, so she began looking for whatever other option existed, and she found one. That summer, after some careful forethought, my mom asked me if I would like to start homeschooling. My immediate response was “Sure! Why not?” I don’t think I actually realised the gravity of the decision my mom had made. For me, all homeschooling meant at the time was more space for all of my extracurricular activities and courses (finally) and no more homework! What more could I ask for? Only now can I understand the extreme pressure she put on herself with that decision. She decided to devote all of her time into exploring what it was that my learning needed. And she truly delivered.
"Grade 5 marked my first homeschooling year. That year I was enrolled as opposed to just registered, meaning I still had to show my work to an instructor who would grade me every semester and give me a report card at the end of the year. But that still wasn’t what homeschooling was all about. What is the point of working at home only to be graded by a teacher again, and this time one that hadn’t even taught me what I know? We had found a homeschooler support group that we would be with and we had some pleasurable times with them. There were always organised trips of some sort and all of the homeschool children really enjoyed being at the center. But, once again, we found that my needs and wants were bigger than that of the other homeschool kids so I began to sign up for many courses around the whole lower mainland. There are numerous educational and arts centers that cater to the public for extracurricular courses and each community has at least one that the locals can easily go to. I didn’t stick to just the closest one but rather searched all around and tried to get as many in as possible, no matter how far we’d have to travel by transit. Martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, scuba diving, volleyball, speech and drama, Shakespeare, theatre acting, writing, speed reading, science,electronics, architecture, economics, sculpture, weaving, knitting, “girls only” clubs, St. John’s Ambulance babysitting, ... there was a myriad of things that interested me, and because of unschooling, I was able to partake in them all. It is true that I learned from 8:00am-6:00pm almost every day, but the courses at the end of the day were my way of having fun. It was there that I was able to socialise with many other students, both homeschoolers and public schoolers. It is important to note, though, that I still followed the B.C. curriculum guidelines as they were available on the internet, despite the many extra classes I took. The main reason I was able to do so much was because my schooling was continuous year-round. I didn’t take summer breaks and that is why learning became so enjoyable: The motivation was making learning fun, not getting a three-month break during the summer as a “reward”.
"After I realised that this was the best choice for me, I switched to being completely unschooled, continuing all of my studies as usual and just renewing my registration with my school every year. But by then, mom was feeling the pressure. She wasn’t sure whether I would be missing something that the kids in school had. So she made sure I got the most well rounded education possible, combining the curriculums of Canada and Croatia as well as the U.S., giving me enough places to go to socialise with kids my age, working at a skill level that was formatted to me personally letting me proceed faster in some subjects if it was within my capabilities. Despite all of this, she still wasn’t sure what to model my schooling against, so one year we decided to go to the Annual British Columbia Homeschool Convention and partake in some of the seminars. It was after those two days that my mom then realised that I wasn’t lagging behind in any way. Everything that she wanted to get more information about in those seminars, she found that she already knew through all of the research and investigating she did before, and that came as a big relief. The convention was still beneficial in the fact that all of the information a homeschooling parent could need was all in one place. The parents would help each other in finding resources, discovering new paths available for homeschoolers, and explaining the different learning styles there are for every individual child and how to find it. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to attend every subsequent convention after that.
"As High School approached, so did another anxiety. How was I going to have a High School Diploma that would be recognised by colleges and universities while still keeping the same learning style I had for the last 3 years? That began the search for a homeschooling “school” that would allow me to do just that. The search was long and hard. It spanned the course of almost a year and asked for countless hours of research and analysing, trying to find the best fit, but finally we came across West River Academy. At first it looked too good to be true. I was expecting that I would have to give up at least some of my freedom as an unschooler in order to get a diploma, but W.R.A. didn’t expect anything like that. “Write me a yearly report, finish the High School Program and you’re set.”--can be a summary of what the website basically said. I didn’t believe it at the start. Yet the more I looked into it, the more I became convinced that West River Academy was a legitimate accredited High School, and that it was the right school for me.
"The rest is all history. As I look back now, my education has been rather varied. Some might even say unorganized and “all over the place”, citing all of the different methods of schooling I have experienced, but I beg to differ. I went through all of the different systems and took only the best parts of each in order to create a custom fit. Although it may be true that how I started my education is far different from how I have finished it, the lessons I have learned along the way and the conclusions I have reached from the whole experience has shown me that it is always necessary to evaluate the path you are heading down even if it means completely changing your previous decision. If that’s what is necessary for you to fulfill your dreams and to grow into a complete human being, then it is much more important than sticking to the status quo. A little variety can go a long way.
"The decision to homeschool has changed me for the better. My passion has become life and learning and that is the most direct way that it has changed me. But it is almost as though my homeschooling “appearance” can be plainly seen. Through the years, the longer I was a homeschooler, the more others would single me out as someone they could respect, offer a job to, even confide in. By becoming a homeschooler, I not only helped myself but also those around me.
"That’s the greatest benefit of all."
"As a true homeschooler, I believe that my education didn’t start from the moment that I stepped into a school but rather the moment I came into the world, so I feel that it is only right to begin my educational biography from my beginnings.
"Originally, I am from Croatia. Croatian was the first language I learned, and it was the language in which I began to read at 3 years of age. That in and of itself is already a valid argument for the belief I stated previously.
"My mom regularly took me to the children’s section at the public library from an early age. There I would enthusiastically look through all of the picture books, both in Croatian and English, and take home the ones that I wanted to learn from that week. At home, my mom would sit with me and go through all of the books. I would always repeat them until I’d know them by heart, then I’d go back with my mom to the library again next week and pick some new ones to memorise, which delighted me greatly...
"...by grade 3, I had become too worn out to continue with public schooling. I found that I dreaded not only going to school in the morning, but also the learning itself was feeling as though it was just a burden and not an enjoyment as before.
"My mom knew that I was still unhappy in school and feared that I would lose whatever enjoyment of learning I had left, so she began looking for whatever other option existed, and she found one. That summer, after some careful forethought, my mom asked me if I would like to start homeschooling. My immediate response was “Sure! Why not?” I don’t think I actually realised the gravity of the decision my mom had made. For me, all homeschooling meant at the time was more space for all of my extracurricular activities and courses (finally) and no more homework! What more could I ask for? Only now can I understand the extreme pressure she put on herself with that decision. She decided to devote all of her time into exploring what it was that my learning needed. And she truly delivered.
"Grade 5 marked my first homeschooling year. That year I was enrolled as opposed to just registered, meaning I still had to show my work to an instructor who would grade me every semester and give me a report card at the end of the year. But that still wasn’t what homeschooling was all about. What is the point of working at home only to be graded by a teacher again, and this time one that hadn’t even taught me what I know? We had found a homeschooler support group that we would be with and we had some pleasurable times with them. There were always organised trips of some sort and all of the homeschool children really enjoyed being at the center. But, once again, we found that my needs and wants were bigger than that of the other homeschool kids so I began to sign up for many courses around the whole lower mainland. There are numerous educational and arts centers that cater to the public for extracurricular courses and each community has at least one that the locals can easily go to. I didn’t stick to just the closest one but rather searched all around and tried to get as many in as possible, no matter how far we’d have to travel by transit. Martial arts, gymnastics, swimming, scuba diving, volleyball, speech and drama, Shakespeare, theatre acting, writing, speed reading, science,electronics, architecture, economics, sculpture, weaving, knitting, “girls only” clubs, St. John’s Ambulance babysitting, ... there was a myriad of things that interested me, and because of unschooling, I was able to partake in them all. It is true that I learned from 8:00am-6:00pm almost every day, but the courses at the end of the day were my way of having fun. It was there that I was able to socialise with many other students, both homeschoolers and public schoolers. It is important to note, though, that I still followed the B.C. curriculum guidelines as they were available on the internet, despite the many extra classes I took. The main reason I was able to do so much was because my schooling was continuous year-round. I didn’t take summer breaks and that is why learning became so enjoyable: The motivation was making learning fun, not getting a three-month break during the summer as a “reward”.
"After I realised that this was the best choice for me, I switched to being completely unschooled, continuing all of my studies as usual and just renewing my registration with my school every year. But by then, mom was feeling the pressure. She wasn’t sure whether I would be missing something that the kids in school had. So she made sure I got the most well rounded education possible, combining the curriculums of Canada and Croatia as well as the U.S., giving me enough places to go to socialise with kids my age, working at a skill level that was formatted to me personally letting me proceed faster in some subjects if it was within my capabilities. Despite all of this, she still wasn’t sure what to model my schooling against, so one year we decided to go to the Annual British Columbia Homeschool Convention and partake in some of the seminars. It was after those two days that my mom then realised that I wasn’t lagging behind in any way. Everything that she wanted to get more information about in those seminars, she found that she already knew through all of the research and investigating she did before, and that came as a big relief. The convention was still beneficial in the fact that all of the information a homeschooling parent could need was all in one place. The parents would help each other in finding resources, discovering new paths available for homeschoolers, and explaining the different learning styles there are for every individual child and how to find it. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to attend every subsequent convention after that.
"As High School approached, so did another anxiety. How was I going to have a High School Diploma that would be recognised by colleges and universities while still keeping the same learning style I had for the last 3 years? That began the search for a homeschooling “school” that would allow me to do just that. The search was long and hard. It spanned the course of almost a year and asked for countless hours of research and analysing, trying to find the best fit, but finally we came across West River Academy. At first it looked too good to be true. I was expecting that I would have to give up at least some of my freedom as an unschooler in order to get a diploma, but W.R.A. didn’t expect anything like that. “Write me a yearly report, finish the High School Program and you’re set.”--can be a summary of what the website basically said. I didn’t believe it at the start. Yet the more I looked into it, the more I became convinced that West River Academy was a legitimate accredited High School, and that it was the right school for me.
"The rest is all history. As I look back now, my education has been rather varied. Some might even say unorganized and “all over the place”, citing all of the different methods of schooling I have experienced, but I beg to differ. I went through all of the different systems and took only the best parts of each in order to create a custom fit. Although it may be true that how I started my education is far different from how I have finished it, the lessons I have learned along the way and the conclusions I have reached from the whole experience has shown me that it is always necessary to evaluate the path you are heading down even if it means completely changing your previous decision. If that’s what is necessary for you to fulfill your dreams and to grow into a complete human being, then it is much more important than sticking to the status quo. A little variety can go a long way.
"The decision to homeschool has changed me for the better. My passion has become life and learning and that is the most direct way that it has changed me. But it is almost as though my homeschooling “appearance” can be plainly seen. Through the years, the longer I was a homeschooler, the more others would single me out as someone they could respect, offer a job to, even confide in. By becoming a homeschooler, I not only helped myself but also those around me.
"That’s the greatest benefit of all."
Monday, July 19, 2010
Pluses and Minuses of Homeschooling for 2010 Graduate
Stephany from Denver, Colorado USA writes about the advantages and challenges of homeschooling in her last monthly report before graduating. Here are her comments:
"I feel I have learned a lot of good stuff by being homeschooled. I learned about life and family, received a good education and I also really enjoyed being homeschooled. Like any school it was tough at times. The good thing is we were able to find some homeschool programs and a gym program for home schoolers. I am not sure that it would have been that much fun being home schooled without other homeschoolers for friends. I'm also glad I was in Girl Scouts and Westernaires. In these outside programs I was able to make many friends. People need friends, and I'm grateful that God brought me these things. I learned that it takes much more effort and discipline to be homeschooled. I also got to have a closer educational and personal relationship with God as a homeschooler. I also didn't have to stress out with homework, peer pressure or the drug scene as a homeschooler. One fun thing is that I got to sleep in and do school in my pjs. However, homeschool isn't all fun and games, it is hard in many ways. For instance, if I wasn't in Girl Scouts or Westernaires, I wouldn't have all the friends I do now. Life isn't fun when you’re a teen or kid without friends, and some homeschoolers have to work hard to find friends. Another hard thing is the responsibility was mine to prepare myself for college and my future. It is always a temptation when you have a TV and computers in your reach not to do school and watch TV or play on the computer instead. Trying to do school can also be a pain in the neck when your siblings are in the same classroom. However, homeschooling has taught me to be more patient than some teens I know, especially with younger siblings. I think I have a pretty good social life for being homeschooled. I really think highly of homeschooling no matter what non-homeschoolers may say. I love how everyone I know that isn't home schooled is very interested in my homeschool life. I have also learned that a lot of people out there would love to be homeschooled. But even though my school years have the normal ups and downs, I still feel it is a great way to be educated and a lot better than public schools. I wouldn‘t change it or my life in anyway."
"I feel I have learned a lot of good stuff by being homeschooled. I learned about life and family, received a good education and I also really enjoyed being homeschooled. Like any school it was tough at times. The good thing is we were able to find some homeschool programs and a gym program for home schoolers. I am not sure that it would have been that much fun being home schooled without other homeschoolers for friends. I'm also glad I was in Girl Scouts and Westernaires. In these outside programs I was able to make many friends. People need friends, and I'm grateful that God brought me these things. I learned that it takes much more effort and discipline to be homeschooled. I also got to have a closer educational and personal relationship with God as a homeschooler. I also didn't have to stress out with homework, peer pressure or the drug scene as a homeschooler. One fun thing is that I got to sleep in and do school in my pjs. However, homeschool isn't all fun and games, it is hard in many ways. For instance, if I wasn't in Girl Scouts or Westernaires, I wouldn't have all the friends I do now. Life isn't fun when you’re a teen or kid without friends, and some homeschoolers have to work hard to find friends. Another hard thing is the responsibility was mine to prepare myself for college and my future. It is always a temptation when you have a TV and computers in your reach not to do school and watch TV or play on the computer instead. Trying to do school can also be a pain in the neck when your siblings are in the same classroom. However, homeschooling has taught me to be more patient than some teens I know, especially with younger siblings. I think I have a pretty good social life for being homeschooled. I really think highly of homeschooling no matter what non-homeschoolers may say. I love how everyone I know that isn't home schooled is very interested in my homeschool life. I have also learned that a lot of people out there would love to be homeschooled. But even though my school years have the normal ups and downs, I still feel it is a great way to be educated and a lot better than public schools. I wouldn‘t change it or my life in anyway."
Friday, July 2, 2010
Reflections on a Life of Change
A 2010 Colorado USA graduate reflects on the ups and downs of her last 4 years
"I never knew I could change or watch others change SO much in such a short period of time. Some things have definitely stayed the same but some things really haven't. In just four short years I have carried at least 5 different jobs (maybe more!) and I have had 2 new baby brothers born into my family. I’ve fallen in love with a sweet, young kid and fallen out of love with the same, stupid kid. I’m really happy with all of my decisions so far, even if they’ve hurt me a lot. It is through pain and redemption that I am able to find and understand more of myself. And let me tell you, high school has been painful and, at some points, redemptive. I've met so many people, learned quite a few hard lessons, and there are things I've learned that before I never used to consider as important. I've changed my mind a million times and I've failed in enough situations to know how much it hurts. I've also stuck with a few of my values and I've succeeded enough to know how powerful the taste of ambition is, and the sweetness that comes after you've accomplished your goal. I've loved and lost. I've loved and gained. I've lived with my mother, my father, and my basketball coach in the course of just 3 years and that, more than anything, has really opened my eyes to the diversity that exists just within my own small world. Family dynamics are such unique and complicated things and I've really enjoyed moving around and finding the small differentiating details. So far, the best place I've lived is with my coach, Monte, and his wife, Kiva. I love the way this household is run--efficiently, smoothly, and most of all, honestly. Everyone is usually on the same page and if we're not, we make sure we get to the same page within an hour or so. Communication is clear and prominent and respect is the foundation for all of our relationships. It's a beautiful thing, to be able to come home to a place that is calm and well rounded, through both people and vibes. It's like having a recharge station... and I've never had that before...
"...As of right now, I’m enjoying my last summer of financial freedom (since I have minimal bills and all that good stuff) and I’m looking forward to my new experiences as a college student. High school has been an incredible experience for me and now I am ready to move on to bigger and better things, both academically and personally! So thank you for this wonderful program and the chance to write all of my experiences and thoughts down for the past 6-8 months. I’m glad I got the opportunity to do this and I’m so thankful for the fact that I will be able to have an actual diploma at the end of it all. You’ve really made a difference for me and my future and I thank you for that!"
"I never knew I could change or watch others change SO much in such a short period of time. Some things have definitely stayed the same but some things really haven't. In just four short years I have carried at least 5 different jobs (maybe more!) and I have had 2 new baby brothers born into my family. I’ve fallen in love with a sweet, young kid and fallen out of love with the same, stupid kid. I’m really happy with all of my decisions so far, even if they’ve hurt me a lot. It is through pain and redemption that I am able to find and understand more of myself. And let me tell you, high school has been painful and, at some points, redemptive. I've met so many people, learned quite a few hard lessons, and there are things I've learned that before I never used to consider as important. I've changed my mind a million times and I've failed in enough situations to know how much it hurts. I've also stuck with a few of my values and I've succeeded enough to know how powerful the taste of ambition is, and the sweetness that comes after you've accomplished your goal. I've loved and lost. I've loved and gained. I've lived with my mother, my father, and my basketball coach in the course of just 3 years and that, more than anything, has really opened my eyes to the diversity that exists just within my own small world. Family dynamics are such unique and complicated things and I've really enjoyed moving around and finding the small differentiating details. So far, the best place I've lived is with my coach, Monte, and his wife, Kiva. I love the way this household is run--efficiently, smoothly, and most of all, honestly. Everyone is usually on the same page and if we're not, we make sure we get to the same page within an hour or so. Communication is clear and prominent and respect is the foundation for all of our relationships. It's a beautiful thing, to be able to come home to a place that is calm and well rounded, through both people and vibes. It's like having a recharge station... and I've never had that before...
"...As of right now, I’m enjoying my last summer of financial freedom (since I have minimal bills and all that good stuff) and I’m looking forward to my new experiences as a college student. High school has been an incredible experience for me and now I am ready to move on to bigger and better things, both academically and personally! So thank you for this wonderful program and the chance to write all of my experiences and thoughts down for the past 6-8 months. I’m glad I got the opportunity to do this and I’m so thankful for the fact that I will be able to have an actual diploma at the end of it all. You’ve really made a difference for me and my future and I thank you for that!"
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Shy, dyslexic child matures to victory
A happy California mom of a second WRA graduate writes about her daughter's path to further education midst some challenges. Read on:
"We received Kristine's diploma. You will be getting a request for her transcripts from the Institute of Technology in Clovis, CA...She's all enrolled to start the Baking and Pastry Specialty program there July 17th. She's very excited about it!
"It's been an interesting process. She went from not being sure what she really wanted to do, to realizing how much she likes to decorate cakes. Suddenly she was researching schools and emailing various bakers and decorators, asking for their input. She came to me asking if we could go meet with this local school and she had everything all set up. She was even doing what she could to figure out the financial aid and budgeting for her schooling. The way things are with this program seems to fit her very well. You may recall that she has severe dyslexia. When we were just about done with the initial interviews, they were going to do an entrance exam and my heart sank. I was amazed to see her agree to take the test even though I knew she was scared. Thankfully, they gave her a pretest that gave her a little taste of how the testing would be and she did fine. After she went in to a meeting they showed me the pre-test and it definitely was not easy. I took it myself and struggled a bit with it, and I'm one who does very well with test taking typically. It was one of those moments, as a homeschooling parent, that you realize that your child has absorbed much more than you may ever realize.They had to get at least 12 correct and she got 13. It may not be the greatest...but it didn't matter. The bottom line is that she got in, and that's all that really matters! The majority of the program is spent in the baking kitchen and very much hands on. I have no doubt that she will thrive in the environment.
"So here was my shy little girl (of course I've never thought she was shy, but others do) going in by herself, meeting with the Assistant Dean of Admissions explaining her desire and commitment to completing this program, ready to take on whatever may come. I am firmly convinced (once again) that while she still may have her cautious demeanor, she would not have the same curiosity and creativity if she had not been given the opportunity to explore and learn in the ways she truly needed to.
"So again, I thank you for the opportunity you have given us with yet another one of my children. Your program provides a way for parents and students to validate their work, and helps in navigating through all the bureaucracy out there."
"We received Kristine's diploma. You will be getting a request for her transcripts from the Institute of Technology in Clovis, CA...She's all enrolled to start the Baking and Pastry Specialty program there July 17th. She's very excited about it!
"It's been an interesting process. She went from not being sure what she really wanted to do, to realizing how much she likes to decorate cakes. Suddenly she was researching schools and emailing various bakers and decorators, asking for their input. She came to me asking if we could go meet with this local school and she had everything all set up. She was even doing what she could to figure out the financial aid and budgeting for her schooling. The way things are with this program seems to fit her very well. You may recall that she has severe dyslexia. When we were just about done with the initial interviews, they were going to do an entrance exam and my heart sank. I was amazed to see her agree to take the test even though I knew she was scared. Thankfully, they gave her a pretest that gave her a little taste of how the testing would be and she did fine. After she went in to a meeting they showed me the pre-test and it definitely was not easy. I took it myself and struggled a bit with it, and I'm one who does very well with test taking typically. It was one of those moments, as a homeschooling parent, that you realize that your child has absorbed much more than you may ever realize.They had to get at least 12 correct and she got 13. It may not be the greatest...but it didn't matter. The bottom line is that she got in, and that's all that really matters! The majority of the program is spent in the baking kitchen and very much hands on. I have no doubt that she will thrive in the environment.
"So here was my shy little girl (of course I've never thought she was shy, but others do) going in by herself, meeting with the Assistant Dean of Admissions explaining her desire and commitment to completing this program, ready to take on whatever may come. I am firmly convinced (once again) that while she still may have her cautious demeanor, she would not have the same curiosity and creativity if she had not been given the opportunity to explore and learn in the ways she truly needed to.
"So again, I thank you for the opportunity you have given us with yet another one of my children. Your program provides a way for parents and students to validate their work, and helps in navigating through all the bureaucracy out there."
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Financial Challenges Inspire Child-Led Learning
A year-end portfolio from Sonja in Colorado describes the learning of 10-year-old son Sasha when an expensive curriculum had to be given up and their resourcefulness and creativity engaged. Here's Sonja's opening paragraph:
"This school year has been one of the most challenging homeschool years ever. My husband became victim of the economic downfall and lost his job in August of 2009. He is still unemployed as I write this portfolio. Due to the sudden loss of income, our school year needed to be changed accordingly. There was no money for the boxed curriculum like Oak Meadow or My Father's World. (Both programs were a hit at hour house in previous years.) Instead (if we wanted to continue homeschooling) we opted for a more relaxed type of homeschooling, one that was truly student-led, utilizing our homeschool library and public library system as much as possible. The result: a wonderful, innovative school year that proved to be educational, engaging, challenging and most of all FUN! Learning was not restricted to school books and schedules anymore, but was led by a child's natural desire to learn about his world, environment, history, science and geography."
"This school year has been one of the most challenging homeschool years ever. My husband became victim of the economic downfall and lost his job in August of 2009. He is still unemployed as I write this portfolio. Due to the sudden loss of income, our school year needed to be changed accordingly. There was no money for the boxed curriculum like Oak Meadow or My Father's World. (Both programs were a hit at hour house in previous years.) Instead (if we wanted to continue homeschooling) we opted for a more relaxed type of homeschooling, one that was truly student-led, utilizing our homeschool library and public library system as much as possible. The result: a wonderful, innovative school year that proved to be educational, engaging, challenging and most of all FUN! Learning was not restricted to school books and schedules anymore, but was led by a child's natural desire to learn about his world, environment, history, science and geography."
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Class of 2010 Commencement in Grand Junction, CO
West River Academy's Class of 2010 included 40 graduates from all over the world. While most were in the US, we also had 2 in China, 1 in Spain, 1 in Germany, 2 in Colombia, 7 in Chile, 1 in Taiwan, 2 in Korea and 1 in Japan. The ones in the picture were the 6 who chose to come to Grand Junction, Colorado to participate in the Commencement Exercises.
And what was special for me was the graduation of my youngest daughter, Rachel (to my right in the photo). Each graduate gave a short speech, some with powerpoint, movie or musical presentations. Truly, each one was a valedictorian!
2009 Grad on her Way to Associates in Science Degree
Here's a note of appreciation from a 2009 grad:
"Thank you so much for this wonderful unschooling program :) I can't believe I only have one more semester till I graduate with my Associates of Science! It is only because of this amazing program that I am now where I am today. THANKS!"
Allie, 2009 graduate
Buena Vista, CO USA
"Thank you so much for this wonderful unschooling program :) I can't believe I only have one more semester till I graduate with my Associates of Science! It is only because of this amazing program that I am now where I am today. THANKS!"
Allie, 2009 graduate
Buena Vista, CO USA
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Jay Graduates with a Dream to Write a Best Seller
Jay, a 17-year-old graduate from Oakley, CA just submitted his last report. Like most seniors, he is excited about what this means for him.
"I can't believe this is my final report before I graduate. This year has gone by super fast! Actually, I think my whole school experience has gone by quickly. I have really enjoyed being homeschooled. It has allowed me to investigate my interests and strengthen my weaker areas. I have met a lot of neat people along the way. My parents always gave me the option of attending public school, but that wasn't something I ever wanted. I have enjoyed being at home and learning at my own pace and receiving a customized education. I think my family is a lot closer because of it. I wish more kids had the opportunity to be homeschooled. I think they would really benefit from it. I suppose it is not for everyone, but it was definitely the right choice for me."
Jay's final paragraph in his last report:
"Over the years, I have often wondered if I would be ready to enter the “real world.” At this moment, I still do not know the answer. I think I am. I hope I am. If only I could see into the future and steal a glimpse. Wouldn't that be helpful? All of this reminds of a quote I heard years ago on a T.V. Show I used to watch called, Boy Meets World. “Life's tough, get a helmet!” Now, if I only remembered where I put my hard hat!"
Going back over Jay's educational biography, I found some highlights to share with you:
"I don't believe that education begins when we enter kindergarten. I believe it really begins when we are much younger. Many of the things we learn at that time are not taught in textbooks. We learn to feed ourselves, dress ourselves, tie our shoes, recognize colors, write our name, maybe even begin to read. Some people may not see these as true learning experiences, but without these skills, we would not be able to take the proper steps to adulthood. These are some of the things that start us off on the road to learning. My "schooling" started when I was small. My mom said she knew the moment I was born that she would homeschool me and I am glad she did.
..."Since my mom made the decision to leave our district's home study program to join West River Academy, Ithink I have grown a lot, not just with academics, but as a person as well. Her decision came at a time when my grandad suddenly became ill and passed away. That was a tremendously difficult time for my family, especially my mom. Being with W.R.A. allowed us to take all the time we needed to be there for my grandad when he needed us and to be there for each other after. I learned how to be more sensitive and compassionate towards others' feelings during that time. I believe that is an important life skill."
Speaking about his love of insects, animals, Legos and writing, he mentions some career paths such as working at a zoo or aquarium, or for Legos Corp., with this ultimate dream in mind:
"It's hard to believe that my high school experience is coming to an end. It doesn't seem possible. I'm a little scared because I don't know what the future holds, none of us do. I know that as this chapter in my story comes to an end, another one is about to begin. Our book grows with each year and each new experience. I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life. I do know that I would love to see one of my books published someday. That is probably my biggest dream. I plan on working really hard to make that happen. I think it would be awesome to be on the best seller's list or have one of my stories turned into a movie! I know I will have to focus and be very organized to realize that dream. I have been working hard on my writing skills and will continue to do so. There is always room for improvement.
..."Whatever I do, I want to make a difference in the world. My mom always taught me that one person can make a difference and that I should strive to leave this world a better place than when I arrived. I don't believe that learning ends after you graduate. Learning is a lifelong process and provides us with endless opportunities to grow as individuals."
Right on, Jay! I can't wait to read your first best-seller!
"I can't believe this is my final report before I graduate. This year has gone by super fast! Actually, I think my whole school experience has gone by quickly. I have really enjoyed being homeschooled. It has allowed me to investigate my interests and strengthen my weaker areas. I have met a lot of neat people along the way. My parents always gave me the option of attending public school, but that wasn't something I ever wanted. I have enjoyed being at home and learning at my own pace and receiving a customized education. I think my family is a lot closer because of it. I wish more kids had the opportunity to be homeschooled. I think they would really benefit from it. I suppose it is not for everyone, but it was definitely the right choice for me."
Jay's final paragraph in his last report:
"Over the years, I have often wondered if I would be ready to enter the “real world.” At this moment, I still do not know the answer. I think I am. I hope I am. If only I could see into the future and steal a glimpse. Wouldn't that be helpful? All of this reminds of a quote I heard years ago on a T.V. Show I used to watch called, Boy Meets World. “Life's tough, get a helmet!” Now, if I only remembered where I put my hard hat!"
Going back over Jay's educational biography, I found some highlights to share with you:
"I don't believe that education begins when we enter kindergarten. I believe it really begins when we are much younger. Many of the things we learn at that time are not taught in textbooks. We learn to feed ourselves, dress ourselves, tie our shoes, recognize colors, write our name, maybe even begin to read. Some people may not see these as true learning experiences, but without these skills, we would not be able to take the proper steps to adulthood. These are some of the things that start us off on the road to learning. My "schooling" started when I was small. My mom said she knew the moment I was born that she would homeschool me and I am glad she did.
..."Since my mom made the decision to leave our district's home study program to join West River Academy, Ithink I have grown a lot, not just with academics, but as a person as well. Her decision came at a time when my grandad suddenly became ill and passed away. That was a tremendously difficult time for my family, especially my mom. Being with W.R.A. allowed us to take all the time we needed to be there for my grandad when he needed us and to be there for each other after. I learned how to be more sensitive and compassionate towards others' feelings during that time. I believe that is an important life skill."
Speaking about his love of insects, animals, Legos and writing, he mentions some career paths such as working at a zoo or aquarium, or for Legos Corp., with this ultimate dream in mind:
"It's hard to believe that my high school experience is coming to an end. It doesn't seem possible. I'm a little scared because I don't know what the future holds, none of us do. I know that as this chapter in my story comes to an end, another one is about to begin. Our book grows with each year and each new experience. I'm not really sure what I want to do with my life. I do know that I would love to see one of my books published someday. That is probably my biggest dream. I plan on working really hard to make that happen. I think it would be awesome to be on the best seller's list or have one of my stories turned into a movie! I know I will have to focus and be very organized to realize that dream. I have been working hard on my writing skills and will continue to do so. There is always room for improvement.
..."Whatever I do, I want to make a difference in the world. My mom always taught me that one person can make a difference and that I should strive to leave this world a better place than when I arrived. I don't believe that learning ends after you graduate. Learning is a lifelong process and provides us with endless opportunities to grow as individuals."
Right on, Jay! I can't wait to read your first best-seller!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Brandon's Bio and Reports Reveal One Talented and Busy Teen
Brandon, a 17-year-old senior in New York, was homeschooled his whole life. He starts of his educational biography this way:
"Let me tell you, being homeschooled is by far the best gift one can be given when it comes to their education. While most kids sit in classrooms doing (or pretending to do) work, most of which will prove inconsequential in their adult life, the homeschooled child gets to experience hands-on learning based on their interests and educational needs. While most kids are only half way through the school day, the homeschooled child finishes early to go off for a trip with other homeschooled kids.
"This is precisely the gift I’ve been given, and I’m thankful for every bit of it. For as far back as I can remember, my learning has been a family affair. In the early days I would sit down with my mother and she’d work with me to make sure I understood each subject. She’d make special tools to help me with math, and often my father would help me through the tougher problems. I believe his explanations could very well be the only reason I understood it at all. The same is true for just about every subject; I owe my great understanding of many things to their dedication.
"When it comes to my textbook learning, I’ve become a lot more independent, taking care of most of the work without any help at all. I no longer sit at the counter with my parents to do my work, but just knowing that they are still there if I need their help is a huge comfort. Now, however, my parents are playing a huge role in my real-world education. Much more significant than anything you’ll learn in a book, my mother has taught me life skills like cooking, cleaning, organizing, scheduling, and so on. Many people who are very ‘book smart’ don’t make it far in life because they lack basic life skills like these."
Brandon goes on to talk about his interests in electricity and computers. He started building websites, eventually turning it into a neighborhood business. Later he got into podcasting and started his own show. Then he started a web design business. When the iPhone came out, he created a movie showtime application for it, which is widely used today by iPhone users: "GoMovies". Brandon is now in the advertising design business with a partner and they run a firm called Ipsum Creative.
Since November of 2009, Brandon has learned to drive, bought a car, and started a restaurant job in addition to doing his design business and academics. He has been learning time managment skills, to say the least - sometimes the hard way! Here's how he summarizes it:
"This is a constant struggle for me: figuring out what’s most important in life. It can often be more difficult than one might think. Beyond that, trying to find places to squeeze in the things you want to do among those that you need to do is a challenge. I devised a system by the end of the month. Basically, I found that I need to list everything I need to do, prioritize it, and try to eliminate some things from the bottom of the list. This way I always have a concise list of my priorities in my head."
Come March, Brandon's report shows another aspect of his learning. Read on!
"March was a month of hard work for me. As I continued with my job and other duties, I learned to perfect many of my skills and to balance my efforts even more effectively. I was working five nights a week and loved making the extra money. I was also helping a friend remodel their kitchen on the side, teaching me a lot about various types of work.
"This job was proving to be quite educational. First off, I was starting to really observe a lot about the inner workings of the restaurant, and ask questions. I wanted to learn about the industry, as it was one I was always interested in. I watched the chefs prepare dishes, I noticed how the managers handled various situations, and I really started to absorb everything that went on around me while I was doing my job. I was actually inspired to reconsider being a chef, something that had always been a possibility for me. This thought had been developing since I started working there, but by now I was really tempted. It seemed like the chefs had such a great time and I could imagine nothing better than cooking for a living.
" As for my remodeling work, my friend and I started off by painting. There were actually several rooms in the house that needed a fresh coat of paint, and we both had experience painting, so we got some rollers and off we went! In addition to walls, I learned about the process of painting cabinets, something that is much more involved. We had to remove all the cabinet doors, organize the hardware, and pretreat the wood. We used a product called a ‘de-glosser’ that etches the original finish of the wood, making the paint adhere better. We then got to work with our paint brushes, and a few days later the old 1960s cabinets looked as good as new (or better.) We reattached the doors, which in itself is a lesson in organization. It’s essential to label the doors, or else it’s difficult to tell which ones go where.
"After the painting was finished, we moved on to the floor. We decided to lay down some tile. To start, we had to rip up the old linoleum. Since the floor was already falling apart, this took nothing more than a little elbow grease and the back end of a hammer. Once the subfloor was exposed and clean, we had to lay down backer board. We mixed up a bucket of adhesive, learning somewhere along the way that it is important to follow the mixing directions properly. Soon after, we put down the first board and screwed it in. Once we hit the first place where we couldn’t fit an entire board, I tapped into my math and geometry brain to measure and cut the boards to the appropriate shapes and sizes. Throughout the project this became my job, as I was quite good at it, even in complexly shaped spaces.
"Once the backer board was down, we moved onto the tile. The measuring was once again my job. I marked each tile and my friend cut them on the wet saw. We did a ‘dry run’ before laying them down, and they fit together like a perfect little puzzle. Although I wasn’t around for the laying and grouting, I was still proud of my accomplishments in my first ever experience with flooring. I learned about how to work with each type of material and got to flex my brain a little with the measurement and marking. All-in-all it was a great experience that may come in handy some day if I ever want to lay my own floor.
"While not the most exciting in my life, this month was full of learning that will be very useful in my later life. In fact, it may have even changed the career path I take. I’m still loving life, and looking forward to April!"
Brandon has one more report before he graduates. You may join me in looking forward to the final installment of his exciting homeschooling career!
"Let me tell you, being homeschooled is by far the best gift one can be given when it comes to their education. While most kids sit in classrooms doing (or pretending to do) work, most of which will prove inconsequential in their adult life, the homeschooled child gets to experience hands-on learning based on their interests and educational needs. While most kids are only half way through the school day, the homeschooled child finishes early to go off for a trip with other homeschooled kids.
"This is precisely the gift I’ve been given, and I’m thankful for every bit of it. For as far back as I can remember, my learning has been a family affair. In the early days I would sit down with my mother and she’d work with me to make sure I understood each subject. She’d make special tools to help me with math, and often my father would help me through the tougher problems. I believe his explanations could very well be the only reason I understood it at all. The same is true for just about every subject; I owe my great understanding of many things to their dedication.
"When it comes to my textbook learning, I’ve become a lot more independent, taking care of most of the work without any help at all. I no longer sit at the counter with my parents to do my work, but just knowing that they are still there if I need their help is a huge comfort. Now, however, my parents are playing a huge role in my real-world education. Much more significant than anything you’ll learn in a book, my mother has taught me life skills like cooking, cleaning, organizing, scheduling, and so on. Many people who are very ‘book smart’ don’t make it far in life because they lack basic life skills like these."
Brandon goes on to talk about his interests in electricity and computers. He started building websites, eventually turning it into a neighborhood business. Later he got into podcasting and started his own show. Then he started a web design business. When the iPhone came out, he created a movie showtime application for it, which is widely used today by iPhone users: "GoMovies". Brandon is now in the advertising design business with a partner and they run a firm called Ipsum Creative.
Since November of 2009, Brandon has learned to drive, bought a car, and started a restaurant job in addition to doing his design business and academics. He has been learning time managment skills, to say the least - sometimes the hard way! Here's how he summarizes it:
"This is a constant struggle for me: figuring out what’s most important in life. It can often be more difficult than one might think. Beyond that, trying to find places to squeeze in the things you want to do among those that you need to do is a challenge. I devised a system by the end of the month. Basically, I found that I need to list everything I need to do, prioritize it, and try to eliminate some things from the bottom of the list. This way I always have a concise list of my priorities in my head."
Come March, Brandon's report shows another aspect of his learning. Read on!
"March was a month of hard work for me. As I continued with my job and other duties, I learned to perfect many of my skills and to balance my efforts even more effectively. I was working five nights a week and loved making the extra money. I was also helping a friend remodel their kitchen on the side, teaching me a lot about various types of work.
"This job was proving to be quite educational. First off, I was starting to really observe a lot about the inner workings of the restaurant, and ask questions. I wanted to learn about the industry, as it was one I was always interested in. I watched the chefs prepare dishes, I noticed how the managers handled various situations, and I really started to absorb everything that went on around me while I was doing my job. I was actually inspired to reconsider being a chef, something that had always been a possibility for me. This thought had been developing since I started working there, but by now I was really tempted. It seemed like the chefs had such a great time and I could imagine nothing better than cooking for a living.
" As for my remodeling work, my friend and I started off by painting. There were actually several rooms in the house that needed a fresh coat of paint, and we both had experience painting, so we got some rollers and off we went! In addition to walls, I learned about the process of painting cabinets, something that is much more involved. We had to remove all the cabinet doors, organize the hardware, and pretreat the wood. We used a product called a ‘de-glosser’ that etches the original finish of the wood, making the paint adhere better. We then got to work with our paint brushes, and a few days later the old 1960s cabinets looked as good as new (or better.) We reattached the doors, which in itself is a lesson in organization. It’s essential to label the doors, or else it’s difficult to tell which ones go where.
"After the painting was finished, we moved on to the floor. We decided to lay down some tile. To start, we had to rip up the old linoleum. Since the floor was already falling apart, this took nothing more than a little elbow grease and the back end of a hammer. Once the subfloor was exposed and clean, we had to lay down backer board. We mixed up a bucket of adhesive, learning somewhere along the way that it is important to follow the mixing directions properly. Soon after, we put down the first board and screwed it in. Once we hit the first place where we couldn’t fit an entire board, I tapped into my math and geometry brain to measure and cut the boards to the appropriate shapes and sizes. Throughout the project this became my job, as I was quite good at it, even in complexly shaped spaces.
"Once the backer board was down, we moved onto the tile. The measuring was once again my job. I marked each tile and my friend cut them on the wet saw. We did a ‘dry run’ before laying them down, and they fit together like a perfect little puzzle. Although I wasn’t around for the laying and grouting, I was still proud of my accomplishments in my first ever experience with flooring. I learned about how to work with each type of material and got to flex my brain a little with the measurement and marking. All-in-all it was a great experience that may come in handy some day if I ever want to lay my own floor.
"While not the most exciting in my life, this month was full of learning that will be very useful in my later life. In fact, it may have even changed the career path I take. I’m still loving life, and looking forward to April!"
Brandon has one more report before he graduates. You may join me in looking forward to the final installment of his exciting homeschooling career!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Chilean Senior Enjoys Monthly Writing
Students who wish to graduate from West River Academy must write an educational biography, describing their educational life, followed by 6 monthly reports detailing what was learned during the month. This occurs during the last 6 months of their senior year. Students may resign themselves to this task, not knowing what to expect, or not looking forward to the work. Often, however, the students tell me what a valuable experience it has been to write about their lives and learning. It prompts them to think more about themselves, their relationships with others and what they want for their future. This student from Chile expresses such sentiment. I'm publishing it in its original Spanish. He says it's been fun for him to write about the activities he enjoys, what he thinks about issues, and his day-to-day life, knowing that someone far away will take a few minutes to read what a Chilean adolescent has been doing and learning.
In his words:
"Como último me gustaría decir que ha sido entretenido escribir todos los meses sobre las actividades que me gustan hacer, lo que pienso de algunas cosas y lo que es mi día a día, se siente agradable escribir todo eso y saber que alguien que está muy lejos de acá va a tomarse unos minutos para leer las cosas que ha hecho y ha aprendido un adolecente chileno. Gracias."
~ Diego, Isla Negra, Chile
In his words:
"Como último me gustaría decir que ha sido entretenido escribir todos los meses sobre las actividades que me gustan hacer, lo que pienso de algunas cosas y lo que es mi día a día, se siente agradable escribir todo eso y saber que alguien que está muy lejos de acá va a tomarse unos minutos para leer las cosas que ha hecho y ha aprendido un adolecente chileno. Gracias."
~ Diego, Isla Negra, Chile
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
WRA student Madison Moellers co-stars in The Mentalist 4/29/10
Madison Moellers is a 7-year-old WRA student who is co-starring in the April 29, 2010 episode of "The Mentalist". It's on CBS this Thursday evening. The April 9th Entertainment Weekly has a full-page spread of Madison on the set, with this caption:
"KIDDING AROUND
Baker and Robin Tunney tried to have fun with co-star Madison Moellers, but – stop the presses! – the pint-size actress wasn’t falling for Baker’s charm. “She wasn’t very interested,” he concedes. “She was playing tough with me. She was a sassy little girl.”
Congratulations, Madison! We hope to see you on the big screen soon!
"KIDDING AROUND
Baker and Robin Tunney tried to have fun with co-star Madison Moellers, but – stop the presses! – the pint-size actress wasn’t falling for Baker’s charm. “She wasn’t very interested,” he concedes. “She was playing tough with me. She was a sassy little girl.”
Congratulations, Madison! We hope to see you on the big screen soon!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Mom Can't Stop her Kids from Learning
A mother of 4 in Colorado, including a graduating senior, writes:
Thanks again for WRA! I am so relieved that despite some ups and downs here at home, we are able to school the kids this way. I can't keep my kids from learning. They are learning ALL the time, no matter what I do, or don't do! We will continue to travel, read, and learn as much as we can for the rest of our lives. I am thinking about going back to grad school, and we'll just figure out how to mix it all up and enjoy the journey!
~ JoAnn, Longmont, CA USA
Thanks again for WRA! I am so relieved that despite some ups and downs here at home, we are able to school the kids this way. I can't keep my kids from learning. They are learning ALL the time, no matter what I do, or don't do! We will continue to travel, read, and learn as much as we can for the rest of our lives. I am thinking about going back to grad school, and we'll just figure out how to mix it all up and enjoy the journey!
~ JoAnn, Longmont, CA USA
Monday, April 26, 2010
Spring 2010 Offer
I am offering an early bird discount for enrolled families for the 2010-2011. An email went out a couple days ago so I hope families received it. The offer is that if you pay by check or money order made out to WRA/M.Webb and have it postmarked by May 31, 2010, you can save $40 on the enrollment fee. So instead of $325, you pay $285 for the whole family for the year. Also, you can pay for as many years as you wish at this price.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Un estudiante chileno recuerda el terremoto de marzo 2010
Una nueva alumna que vive en Santiago, Chile escribe en su primer informe:
"A principios de este año estudiantil, fuimos afectados por un terremoto, que no dejó tranquilo a nadie. Eran ya el principio del año estudiantil para muchos jóvenes, pero el gobierno de Chile decidió atrasar un tiempo el inicio de clases en los colegios. Esa noche fue la mas larga que recuerdo, y muy chocante. Recuerdo gente corriendo por las calles; el sonido era una fusión de gritos, ladridos de perro, cosas cayendo, gente llorando. Yo estaba muy afectada emocionalmente; fue increíble lo que pasó. Nadie sabía de las familias, cientos de mis amigos estaban perdidos, y empecé a buscarlos por un buscador de personas que habilitó el famoso buscador de “Google”. Hice perfiles de mis amigos para que sus familias supieran de ellos y sus amigos también, etcétera. Semanas después mis amigos estaban muy agradecidos por mi labor."
"A principios de este año estudiantil, fuimos afectados por un terremoto, que no dejó tranquilo a nadie. Eran ya el principio del año estudiantil para muchos jóvenes, pero el gobierno de Chile decidió atrasar un tiempo el inicio de clases en los colegios. Esa noche fue la mas larga que recuerdo, y muy chocante. Recuerdo gente corriendo por las calles; el sonido era una fusión de gritos, ladridos de perro, cosas cayendo, gente llorando. Yo estaba muy afectada emocionalmente; fue increíble lo que pasó. Nadie sabía de las familias, cientos de mis amigos estaban perdidos, y empecé a buscarlos por un buscador de personas que habilitó el famoso buscador de “Google”. Hice perfiles de mis amigos para que sus familias supieran de ellos y sus amigos también, etcétera. Semanas después mis amigos estaban muy agradecidos por mi labor."
Saturday, April 17, 2010
A Californian's month of Chinese, Literature, Cuisine and Early Childhood Education
A 17-year old young lady from California has impressed me with her writing style from the time she submitted her educational biography right up to this monthly report for March 2010. The report must be one full page, single-spaced, and it must focus on the learning that took place during the month. I'm including hers in its entirety to give an example of an outstanding and captivating essay.
"My March calendar was loaded with so many countless events that I thought it might burst. Being incredibly busy, it wasn’t until now when I stopped to think that I realized just how much I learned this past month: so much more than I imagined!
In world news and events I studied the mistreatment of women. I learned more about the terrible domestic abuse and human rights violations against many women in the Middle East as well as of the horrors of the Thai sex trade. Such atrocities are horrendous and I will continue trying to find ways to help. I also educated myself further in Chinese current events and culture.
The amount of Chinese I’ve managed to learn in only a few months thoroughly amazes me. It seems as though each week I become progressively faster at learning Mandarin! So, during March I especially improved my Mandarin skills. Last month I had the wonderful privilege of meeting my friend’s aunt visiting with her non-English-speaking husband and two little children from Shanghai, China. Listening to the family engage in Mandarin and being able to understand snippets and even chunks of their conversations was utterly thrilling! I was especially excited to find that I could understand quite a lot of what the children were saying. Although I was too scared to venture speaking a little Chinese to the adults, I managed to work up the courage to partake in limited Chinese banter with the five-year-old girl, Anna. She was so shocked and excited to hear me speaking her language that she decided to practice a bit of English with me! It was absolutely adorable. She even brought me one of her beautiful drawings for me to write my American name and Chinese name - 楚睿恩 (Chǔ Ruì ēn) – on. Anna was quite happy discovering that part of my name睿 (ruì) was also part of her Chinese name. Since January I have acquired and – to my great delight - retained the knowledge to read and write over 160 Chinese characters, over a third of which I learned in March. I utilized these skills as I handwrote essays and dialogues in Chinese characters for exams.
Learning so many Chinese characters also helped me with not only reading and writing Japanese kanji, but also in understanding the origins of many Japanese words. Though Japanese and Chinese sound very different, the more I study Chinese, the more I come to realize the many seemingly subtle similarities between the two languages.
Whether I sing in Chinese, Japanese, or English, the emotion of my voice consistently grows deeper in expression, and its clarity rings stronger and stronger. During March I constantly sang in front of class, learning to sing various styles of music. Performing in an encouraging environment has helped me better learn to manifest nerves in a such a way that is not destructive to one’s health or performance and to build more courage to sing in front of audiences. I’ve experienced development of my singing technique and the quality of my voice, both of which continue to improve.
What has also grown stronger this past month is my ability to write stories full of vibrant detail, and intrigue. Reading well-written, engaging literature created a cycle as the reading improved my writing and the writing improved my reading.
I’ve also improved in quickness and efficiency of cooking dis,hes and meals, and have improved in making them appear even more appetizingly beautiful. With ease, I now can quickly de-scale and debone a salmon before using a new, pretty wrapping-style to wrap my mushroom wontons. To my amazement, such a wrapping-style holds the wontons together quite nicely. With sugary or fattening foods I’ve unveiled more tricks to make the treats healthier while deceptively delicious. These tricks are especially handy when I cook for the children I babysit.
One new chapter in my continuing saga of Early Childhood Education involved a great deal of hands-on experience, as for several days I cared for a flu-stricken toddler spewing his half-digested breakfast all over his dinosaur pajamas as well and anything else that happened to be around him. Using a very stubborn 8-year-old boy as my guinea-pig, I also found ways to discipline effectively without resorting to punishment.
I feel accomplished and satisfied with how hard I worked to learn in March and will strive to do the same during the remaining weeks of April."
"My March calendar was loaded with so many countless events that I thought it might burst. Being incredibly busy, it wasn’t until now when I stopped to think that I realized just how much I learned this past month: so much more than I imagined!
In world news and events I studied the mistreatment of women. I learned more about the terrible domestic abuse and human rights violations against many women in the Middle East as well as of the horrors of the Thai sex trade. Such atrocities are horrendous and I will continue trying to find ways to help. I also educated myself further in Chinese current events and culture.
The amount of Chinese I’ve managed to learn in only a few months thoroughly amazes me. It seems as though each week I become progressively faster at learning Mandarin! So, during March I especially improved my Mandarin skills. Last month I had the wonderful privilege of meeting my friend’s aunt visiting with her non-English-speaking husband and two little children from Shanghai, China. Listening to the family engage in Mandarin and being able to understand snippets and even chunks of their conversations was utterly thrilling! I was especially excited to find that I could understand quite a lot of what the children were saying. Although I was too scared to venture speaking a little Chinese to the adults, I managed to work up the courage to partake in limited Chinese banter with the five-year-old girl, Anna. She was so shocked and excited to hear me speaking her language that she decided to practice a bit of English with me! It was absolutely adorable. She even brought me one of her beautiful drawings for me to write my American name and Chinese name - 楚睿恩 (Chǔ Ruì ēn) – on. Anna was quite happy discovering that part of my name睿 (ruì) was also part of her Chinese name. Since January I have acquired and – to my great delight - retained the knowledge to read and write over 160 Chinese characters, over a third of which I learned in March. I utilized these skills as I handwrote essays and dialogues in Chinese characters for exams.
Learning so many Chinese characters also helped me with not only reading and writing Japanese kanji, but also in understanding the origins of many Japanese words. Though Japanese and Chinese sound very different, the more I study Chinese, the more I come to realize the many seemingly subtle similarities between the two languages.
Whether I sing in Chinese, Japanese, or English, the emotion of my voice consistently grows deeper in expression, and its clarity rings stronger and stronger. During March I constantly sang in front of class, learning to sing various styles of music. Performing in an encouraging environment has helped me better learn to manifest nerves in a such a way that is not destructive to one’s health or performance and to build more courage to sing in front of audiences. I’ve experienced development of my singing technique and the quality of my voice, both of which continue to improve.
What has also grown stronger this past month is my ability to write stories full of vibrant detail, and intrigue. Reading well-written, engaging literature created a cycle as the reading improved my writing and the writing improved my reading.
I’ve also improved in quickness and efficiency of cooking dis,hes and meals, and have improved in making them appear even more appetizingly beautiful. With ease, I now can quickly de-scale and debone a salmon before using a new, pretty wrapping-style to wrap my mushroom wontons. To my amazement, such a wrapping-style holds the wontons together quite nicely. With sugary or fattening foods I’ve unveiled more tricks to make the treats healthier while deceptively delicious. These tricks are especially handy when I cook for the children I babysit.
One new chapter in my continuing saga of Early Childhood Education involved a great deal of hands-on experience, as for several days I cared for a flu-stricken toddler spewing his half-digested breakfast all over his dinosaur pajamas as well and anything else that happened to be around him. Using a very stubborn 8-year-old boy as my guinea-pig, I also found ways to discipline effectively without resorting to punishment.
I feel accomplished and satisfied with how hard I worked to learn in March and will strive to do the same during the remaining weeks of April."
Friday, April 16, 2010
Graduating senior realizes the importance of family
West River Academy's High School Diploma Program requires students to write an educational biography detailing their years of learning and then to submit monthly reports on their learning activities. Here is an excerpt from a report that came in today:
"A very important part of this month was my being able to finally visit my grandfather, Paw Paw. He has been in hospice care for the past couple of months. My family was unable to visit him though, due to scheduling problems. So when spring break approached we were finally able to take a week off to visit him. He lives in Oklahoma City, and it is difficult for our family to schedule trips when we can all go. I will remember this trip for the rest of my life. My grandfather is losing his eyesight and is mostly deaf. He is also unable to walk, and is in a wheelchair. The only way he really knows who we are is through sound or feeling. We all spent time holding his hands; my grandmother says it helps him feel safe. My siblings took turns playing the piano for him, and I knew then that those hours would be some of the last memories I would have with him. As I sat there and held his hand, looking into his eyes, I realized that in this life the only thing that really matters is family. Despite our living far away, because we are family we are bonded by a love that keeps us close. Looking around the nursing home, I could see many other faces of people with no family there, and then I would look at how happy my grandparents were for us to be there, and I realized that no matter where we go, I will always love them because they are my grandparents.
"While we were in Oklahoma City, we also visited many other places. One of the most prominent places is the Oklahoma Science Museum. As a child, my parents took me to this museum almost every week. It is better than I remember. They have added countless new exhibits and the old ones have been well kept. My little siblings were running from one thing to another, they had too many things to see and too little time! It was incredible to see their new found interest in science, and it sparked mine as well. I remembered how curious of the world I was as a child, and it was very touching to see the innocent and curious nature of a child’s mind. It was a very educational trip. The Oklahoma Science Museum is packed with exhibits that educate and challenge the mind. From math to science to history, it covers nearly anything you can think of. The best thing about the museum is everything is hands on. Their motto is “Please Touch,” which is fantastic, because the best way for children to learn is for them to try things themselves. Throughout my first two years of high school, I was trying to educate myself because my teachers told me to. These past two years of home schooling, I have been trying to regain my thirst for knowledge. This museum has definitely helped spark my curiosity with science and I hope to take that with me to college next year."
"A very important part of this month was my being able to finally visit my grandfather, Paw Paw. He has been in hospice care for the past couple of months. My family was unable to visit him though, due to scheduling problems. So when spring break approached we were finally able to take a week off to visit him. He lives in Oklahoma City, and it is difficult for our family to schedule trips when we can all go. I will remember this trip for the rest of my life. My grandfather is losing his eyesight and is mostly deaf. He is also unable to walk, and is in a wheelchair. The only way he really knows who we are is through sound or feeling. We all spent time holding his hands; my grandmother says it helps him feel safe. My siblings took turns playing the piano for him, and I knew then that those hours would be some of the last memories I would have with him. As I sat there and held his hand, looking into his eyes, I realized that in this life the only thing that really matters is family. Despite our living far away, because we are family we are bonded by a love that keeps us close. Looking around the nursing home, I could see many other faces of people with no family there, and then I would look at how happy my grandparents were for us to be there, and I realized that no matter where we go, I will always love them because they are my grandparents.
"While we were in Oklahoma City, we also visited many other places. One of the most prominent places is the Oklahoma Science Museum. As a child, my parents took me to this museum almost every week. It is better than I remember. They have added countless new exhibits and the old ones have been well kept. My little siblings were running from one thing to another, they had too many things to see and too little time! It was incredible to see their new found interest in science, and it sparked mine as well. I remembered how curious of the world I was as a child, and it was very touching to see the innocent and curious nature of a child’s mind. It was a very educational trip. The Oklahoma Science Museum is packed with exhibits that educate and challenge the mind. From math to science to history, it covers nearly anything you can think of. The best thing about the museum is everything is hands on. Their motto is “Please Touch,” which is fantastic, because the best way for children to learn is for them to try things themselves. Throughout my first two years of high school, I was trying to educate myself because my teachers told me to. These past two years of home schooling, I have been trying to regain my thirst for knowledge. This museum has definitely helped spark my curiosity with science and I hope to take that with me to college next year."
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
New homeschooling mom gets it and son thrives
Here's an email from a new homeschooling mom. It shows what happens when we let the kids lead:
"Evan had asked me what a photon was. I mentioned to him that I knew it was part of physics but I wasn't sure exactly what type of particle it was, so we should look it up together. He mentioned that he heard about it from a cartoon. We got into a long search and discussion which turned into a lesson that lasted a few days about quantums, quarks and the formula for the speed of light (which to this DAY he still has memorized..it was almost 2 weeks ago) . After all was said and done, he joked, "That'll teach me to ask YOU a question!" we both got a big kick out of it and he really took notes, which was something he doesn't relish. We both learned a lot. :)"
"Evan had asked me what a photon was. I mentioned to him that I knew it was part of physics but I wasn't sure exactly what type of particle it was, so we should look it up together. He mentioned that he heard about it from a cartoon. We got into a long search and discussion which turned into a lesson that lasted a few days about quantums, quarks and the formula for the speed of light (which to this DAY he still has memorized..it was almost 2 weeks ago) . After all was said and done, he joked, "That'll teach me to ask YOU a question!" we both got a big kick out of it and he really took notes, which was something he doesn't relish. We both learned a lot. :)"
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