hot hazy days clear your mind

time well-spent

Have you leisurely walked along a shore recently?
Dabbled your toes in the cool water and felt sand ooze under your feet. 

Warm sun on you skin and clear air refreshing you as you went on your way, with your thoughts sliding easily into place like a smooth round of tetris.

I have, and it has helped clear my mind.  Not to empty it, but things process easier and I have more productive thoughts now.

'Hurrah for you', I might think that for a moment, if I have just heard of someone's idyllic holiday break.  Well, it is great for me, and if it's been awhile   I reckon you should get yourself somewhere peaceful and paddle your toes.  Shoreline, bush stream, lake edge, rocky cove, pond.  Any you can get to.
Everyone you know could benefit somehow from some nature loving.

I'm so chilled out, I haven't been motivated to write for awhile, but now 
I do have some things to post and I will get back into it.  

To start with, read this article, in case you were in any doubt as to how good for your kids and your family home education may be.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Homeschooling: The Future of Liberty

Don't let your kids become drones
Dees Illustration 

Dr. Ron Paul

A common feature of authoritarian regimes is the criminalization of alternatives to government-controlled education. Dictators recognize the danger that free thought poses to their rule, and few things promote the thinking of “unapproved” thoughts like an education controlled by parents instead of the state.


 read more ......

http://www.activistpost.com/2013/04/homeschooling-future-of-liberty.html

Unschooling is Rewarding

Words can be hard to muster in a hurry.
Usually, there are plenty of words leaping about in my mind, crashing into each other and creating havoc, at times amusing me greatly with their outrageous combinations.  Other times they are lurking,  coy and reticent in shadows, out of reach, or dangling precariously above a dark abyss, threatening to be lost forever, before they have even been identified.

I would like to convey so much more than this stiff blog does, because people like me, who love to be with their children, would, I think, enjoy reading about another family that shares more than a bathroom, kitchen and car trips.
I really enjoy knowing that there are thousands of home-schoolers (of many varieties) and thousands more unofficial home-educators, that relish time with each other and share much more than information when it comes to learning.

I hereby promise to come back, regularly, and add to this blog, to keep sharing important local stuff, and wider community information and international material when interesting things happen, (and I have time).

I am hoping to be able to do this and not use very personal details, so that we remain 'unknown' but not fictional.  Our community is quite small, and anyone interested would probably figure us out easily, but I don't think that would be very amazing for anyone.
It would be more fun discovering this tractor!

The obsession with controlling speech is soaring to unbelievable heights

http://www.activistpost.com/2012/05/obsession-with-controlling-speech-is.html

This article by Madison Ruppert in the Activist Post,  May 5, 2012

talks about controls the American Education System is imposing in regard to topics that will be eliminated from their schools.  They will be banned, and that will shape children's learning.

Such 'developments' usually find there way across the oceans to taint the thinking of 'Educationalists' worldwide. 

Autumn Delight

Here are some different angles on Home-Education

"The Home Educators’ Network" is a well-established network of diverse home educators educating their children from home in Hamilton, New Zealand, and the surrounding area, the Waikato.
  www.thehomeeducatorsnetwork.co.nz 

and their blog http://thenw.wordpress.com/

Another informative New Zealand site that offers support to families new to Home-schooling.

What Is Homeschooling?

"Homeschooling is taking care of your child's right to education, without enrolling them in a registered school."

 http://www.homeeducationnz.co.nz/homeschool.html

What is Unschooling?
"Have you ever described 'red' to a person who is color blind? Sometimes, trying to define unschooling is like trying to define red. Ask thirty unschoolers to define their 'unschooling' style and you'll get thirty styles of unschooling.   They'll all unschooling, but they'll all be different...."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unschooling-dotcom/

This family do fun activities - loads of great ideas - they use public school in NZ as well as being actively involved in the children's learning
http://vintagechica.typepad.com/the_life_and_times_of_thi/how-we-learn.html

"Exploring Homeschooling  is a national Christian ministry that introduces Believers to the blessings of private biblical homeschooling. We believe the Lord Jesus is restoring Christian families and saving the souls of children through biblical homeschooling.   
For decades now in the United States, homeschooling Christians have seen good fruit from their efforts.  "
http://www.exploringhomeschooling.com/

We are a Small part of a Big World-wide Community

As Parents who Educate their own Children, we are located all over the World and are living in many different situations.  And so as to recognise other mentor/pupil situations, I include the many people educating children that may not be their own children, at home or by correspondence.
I haven't set out to discover the number world-wide yet, there must be a huge number.

Yet, at times, we can feel isolated and frustrated with some of the difficulties we face.
It is heartening to know that many thousands of children have been raised without State-based schooling, and have enjoyed successes and much freedom to grow.
Networking online, learning about other families and social interaction is a big part of creating the learning environment for my family.  

Some people mange to do elaborate and beautiful blogs about their Home Schooling life.  
 Here are some of the bloggers that have inspired me; (more to be added later)

http://watchingkereru.blogspot.co.nz/

http://kimberlymoore.wordpress.com/2011/06/

http://seaplusprairie.blogspot.co.nz/

I also have a collection of stories from families, that want to relay a bit about their children now that they have moved past school-age, and about the things they are doing since.  I need to check that I can include each one, so it may take a few weeks before they are here, please check back.

This can be helpful for people to see, because a questions that are often asked of those schooling-their-own, include; "what will your children do later?, "how will they get a job?, "what if they want go to university?"

It is wonderful to hear current stories about people who do go to University / are employed at work they enjoy / have creative and innovative lives - after home-schooled childhoods.
The people I know, that have grown with home-schooling, have had little trouble with the demands of work and study.  They have emotional maturity beyond their age peers as well as good understanding of their community.  

More on that later ...

Greetings from Waikato, New Zealand

We are a family that Home Educates - so I thought FREE EDUCATION, in the vein of 'Freedom' (as in 'rights', not cost) is an important wide ranging topic to blog about.

Freedom is highly valued in our family, and so many of the links and articles I will link to highlight Freedom (or lack of).  We want to share, celebrate, protect and promote freedom in our lives right now. 


We also prefer 'little to no-cost' for our activities.   If money is spent, then  mostly it is spent on tutors or club costs. 
Apart from necessary materials, most of our education 'costs' are very low, because we make the most of resources freely available, and often receive generous gifts from talented mentors.  The most valuable gift, being TIME.


This blog will offer information, links to inspirational Educators as well as being a repository of relevant resources.
I will list some of the best online resources I have used, or intend to use.
As well as some of the ideas that have helped me and others "teach their own".  
I'll include some tips for families preparing their "Application for Exemption from Registered School".
Lots of what I will include will be 'borrowed' and I will attempt to credit people, please nudge me if I miss it.
We are considered 'Unschoolers' by others (including MoE), which is ok, but I prefer to say our family "Educates at Home".  People often ask what curriculum material or courses we use, I tell them that we create our own.
I used to say Free-range Education - until we started keeping chooks.

And in case you're wondering about the kids - they are thriving and are hugely delightful and very happy in their lives.  I am a fortunate parent who gets to facilitate and share their lives and learning.  These vibrant young people are  sharp-witted and creative, and I strive to keep them resourced and energised.  
 I am so grateful they are not being squeezed through the dulling machine that I see grinding away at the spark and zest of other children.

back soon
Squid