Liberated Learners Winter 2009

Meghan left a private school with some trepidation, knowing that she could have stayed and graduated, while Matthew left public school feeling that there was no way he could succeed in such a traditional system. Meghan describes using homeschooling as a time for self-discovery, during continued on page 2 4

Winter 2009

In the previous issue of Liberated Learners, two recent alumni described how they have made the transition from North Star to college. Now, two members further along that path share what they have encountered. Meghan Wicks, 19, has moved on from our local community colleges to Maine College of Art. Matthew Weigang, 20, is now at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Both Meghan and Matthew provide details about how they have made these transitions as homeschoolers without traditional diplomas, and they each add to our understanding of how smoothly this process occurs. The contrasts in their personal reflections about homeschooling are what interest me the most.

I think of Meghan as so direct, so talented, so purposeful, that I was a bit surprised to read her essay and be reminded of her hesitant beginning to homeschooling.

Meghan’s brother Grant thrived at North Star, and at first I knew Meghan as Grant’s younger sister who was much too focused and satisfied with school to ever want to join North Star. As Grant moved on, and Meghan did join, Meghan clearly established herself as her own thoughtful and active person at North Star, and I have many fond memories of her years with us. I appreciate the detail she has offered in this essay as she shares her experience with our current members. Meghan makes the process sound easy. Readers will appreciate that when a teen is focused and talented and serious, the process works, even when it is not easy.—K.D.

Meghan

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which she realized her passion for art and desire to pursue her talents in school. Matthew describes being born with a love of planes, and using homeschooling as a time to pursue seriously this longanticipated goal of flying. Meghan’s use of time since leaving school has been industrious, to put it mildly, while Matthew has had to confront and overcome his challenges to completing the projects he begins. Meghan is an artist; Matthew is a soldier.

But these contrasts recede in my mind as I consider their stories.

Meghan and Matthew represent two teens who felt stalled in school.

With support and patience and love from their parents, they proceeded through late adolescence with North Star. Both Megan and Matthew used North Star as a learning and social opportunity, and both maintain friendships today from their North Star experience.

Both express a sense of connection to our program and a sense of being alumni that matters to them. Both used our area’s local continued on page 34 2

My path from North Star to present day has been exciting, sometimes frustrating, but mostly rewarding. I went to North Star starting in Fall 2004 when I was fifteen, but I did so tentatively. I kept myself enrolled under special circumstances at Hartsbrook High School, although my vested interest in their particular model of learning was minimal. They were very accommodating, if not a little confused, about my arrangement but they allowed me to take classes there on a part-time basis. In retrospect, I think I was afraid of giving up the structure that high school offers, while at the same time knowing that it was the completely wrong environment for me. My older brother, Grant, had gone to North Star before me, so I went in with a basic knowledge of the philosophy, but I still harbored this fear that if I committed myself to unschooling, I could permanently derail myself.

All apprehensions aside, I delved into my studies at both Hartsbrook and at North Star. I utilized North Star as best as I could and took classes like Literature, Creative Writing, Design, a great class based around Naomi Klein’s book No Logo, Social Issues, Digital Photography, and U.S. History. I dabbled in many other courses and explored all kinds of outlets outside of the center, such as a library science internship at Springfield College, boxing classes at the YMCA, and even just sitting outside reading. During my first year at North Star, I read over 120 books! I also took classes at the Guild Art Centre, some of which were taught by North Star instructor Lea Donnan, who inspires me greatly. Gradually, I discovered that I was happiest creating, which evolved into the realization that I wanted to make art.

I went to classes at North Star for about a year and a half, from September 2004 - December 2005, still a little apprehensive about the practicality of not attending high school. I continued to have dialogues with Ken and my parents about the future, fully aware of the need to pursue higher education, eventually. I spent Fall 2005 studying for my GED, getting tutored by Ken, a pillar of patience, and studying independently out of a GED workbook from the North Star resource library. I took and passed the test, and armed with my GED, symbolically proving that I was Done With High School (something I had known for a while), I began taking

classes at Greenfield Community College in January 2006.

Going back to school in this way was a little intimidating at first. The transition from the casual “easy-come-easy-go” atmosphere of North Star to the structure of college took a few deep breaths and more than one pep talk. But once I got over that initial anxiety, I entered into one of the most positive environments I have ever experienced. It was all the best things about North Star (the freedoms, the responsibility, the support) and all the things I liked about high school (the reliability of routine, the structure of expectations and accountability). The fact that I was only sixteen didn’t matter because I was used to taking on greater responsibility and have always had a huge sense of independence and self-motivation, something going to North Star really elicited in me.

I went to GCC for Fine Arts, part-time at first, and their program was a great resource for me. I learned about technique and craft, my own artistic process, and how to talk about art. I also took classes in all kinds of other areas, like social sciences, English, and surprisingly, business. Art and business are two things that one wouldn’t suspect to go hand-in-hand, but I found a great synergy in the two. Through a professor at GCC I started a web marketing internship with the college, meaning I interviewed various professors, researched various programs and clubs within the school, and wrote articles highlighting the school’s

Ultimately, what moves me the most is the sense of self-awareness and maturity that Meghan and Matthew each possess. They stepped out of the system, faced that moment of infinite possibility, and found their way. For our new members who wonder how this choice is going to turn out, and for you supporters and donors who still wonder sometimes how it can all be true, I can say that it is Meghan, Matthew, and the rest of our alumni who serve as the source of our confidence and inspiration.

continued on page 44

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strengths. It’s something that I would never have predicted I'd do, but enjoyed greatly.

The amount of time I was spending in classes was hardly enough to contain my enthusiasm for having my own life. I got my driver’s license, secured a great job at an independent bookstore in Southampton, and ran in several 5-kilometer races over the course of 2007.

I also applied for a grant being offered out of GCC and used the money I was awarded to go to Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA for a month-long summer intensive art program. I wanted to test the waters to see if art was something I could see myself transferring into school for, away from my family. It turned out it was. I discovered I wanted to do printmaking, something they didn’t offer at GCC, but I did a little research and found that the neighboring Holyoke Community College did, so I took the plunge and took a semester of classes on the other side of the “tofu curtain.” Their art department is full of wonderful, invested people and talented passionate students, and opened me up to a really diverse group of people and some of my closest friends. It also affirmed for me, once again, that I wanted to be an artist and to go to art school.

The next few months were all about applications and portfolio building. Applying to college was painless, and the admissions counselors were more interested and open about my educational journey than I could have hoped. I didn’t take my SATs and I didn’t need to because I had a respectable collection of college credits under my belt. In this way, I think I had an easier time transferring into schools than any of my high school counterparts did, and by taking courses at community college I saved a lot of money. I applied to three colleges and was accepted to all three, and eventually decided on Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine. I was awarded a $12,000 Presidential Scholarship and couldn’t be more pleased with my choice of school. At 19, I was going to be a second-semester sophomore with two and a half years of college experience under my belt and a concrete idea of what makes me happy.

My plans for the future include taking a semester of “domestic mobility” to travel to Brooklyn, NY to attend Pratt Institute to use their printmaking facilities mercilessly and get a slice of the Big Apple, as well as working on a collection

of altered books and creating a website that can market my work and eventually take on a life of its own. Art and creative problem solving are definitely where I see myself heading as far as a career is concerned. It’s hard the conceptualize life after college, but Portland is a great city for the arts, and I have a huge spot in my heart for the Pioneer Valley, so who knows where I’ll end up next.

Looking back on my experiences with school, homeschooling, and college, I couldn’t have done it better if I had planned it day by day. I don’t know that there is one sure-fire formula for learning, but I know that North Star offers options nowhere else can. I know that I was drawn to North Star because I knew I was not enjoying learning like I should have been. I knew that I had an internal freedom to break off from the standard assembly-line education. Giving teenagers this choice is revolutionary to some, and I was very fortunate to have such brave parents and such a bold older brother, who were open to such an unorthodox approach to education. My time at North Star turned my life in a completely different direction and gave me space for self-discovery, and I am utterly thankful that such a place exists. t Liberated Learners Winter 2009

community colleges to experiment with returning to a traditional classroom and found the experiment successful. Finally, both feel at home in their current four-year college situations. (And, for those of you concerned with the process, note that each is on grade level or ahead of their age peers, and that each mentions receiving major scholarships recognizing their achievements.)

q Meghan’s Art

News and Notes As of February 1, 2009, North Star welcomes its first Outreach Director, Sarah Reid. Our stated goal is to double the membership of North Star over the next two years. Over the past twelve years, because of limitations on our time, we have implemented only a tiny fraction of our ideas on how to connect with the wider community and spread awareness of North Star’s approach. Sarah will work full-time on these projects.

For the fourth year, Catherine Gobron is organizing a community service trip during our March vacation. This year ten North Star travelers will head to Honduras to help save the second largest coral reef system in the world.

The group is currently doing SCUBA training together, and during the week in Honduras they will dive and collect data for a park doing important research.

North Star’s fifth annual Celebration of Self-Directed Learning will be held on Sunday, March 29th at continued on page 54 4

Matthew may be at college in Worcester, but he is still involved at North Star. During his college breaks, he returns to teach workshops on mathematics, physics, and aerospace topics. He is currently organizing a North Star visit to and tour of Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Matthew’s perseverance over the past five years makes his current status in college and in ROTC especially satisfying for me. I appreciate the opportunity to be involved in both his earlier struggles and his current stable and happy life. He is emerging as a leader on his college campus, and when he returns to North Star, he is strong role model for our current members.

While I generally do not urge teens to join the military, I honestly couldn’t be happier for Matthew. His desire to explain his history and detail the process that brought him where he is today shows through in his thoughtful essay.

—K.D.

Matthew

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Avast and give me yer ears! In 2006 I wrote for Liberated Learners as a then-current North Star member and part-time student at Holyoke Community College. Since then I've certainly had no lack of unusual experiences but I have not failed to realize key steps in achieving my own longstanding aspirations post North Star. Today I'm a sophomore at Worcester Polytechnic Institute studying Aerospace Engineering and a Cadet Third Class in the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer

Training Corps. A radical secondary education in no way hindered my entry into higher education and a military career, and, for me, North Star was instrumental in helping me keep my sanity and build a respectable academic portfolio during a time I resisted a system I could not operate in.

What has college been like for an unschooler? As a homeschooling student, I readily took advantage of the absence of a drowning torrent homework by becoming very involved with community organizations: I studied martial arts at Spirit of the Heart in Northampton, trained in the Civil Air Patrol with the Franklin County Cadet Squadron, hung out at North Star, and ran an internet forum. With community involvement taking such a prominent role in my social diet I was quick to replicate this environment for myself in college. The result has, I feel, come to define my experience as an undergraduate student and particularly what kind of experience I'm having specifically because of my unschooling background.

My biggest extra-curricular commitment now is my training in Air Force ROTC. Aircraft, military combat aircraft in particular, have been an intense and passionate interest of mine ever since I first saw one as a kid. I was born to fly in and influence the Air Force and this mission has been with me throughout my life regardless of any of my troubles with conventional education. My participation in ROTC is now the final step in achieving that felt mission; following my graduation from WPI I will receive a commission to 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and enter active duty service. The training I go through in preparation for my commission is cool

Meanwhile, the daily life at North Star is wonderful. We have welcomed a number of new members during January; our extended staff is inspiring; the calendar is full of fascinating and unusual activities; our individual work with members is detailed and productive; the general atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. One recent highlight: we hosted an Inauguration Celebration on January 20th, and our event was included in the Daily Hampshire Gazette’s coverage of that day!

As always we are grateful for your ongoing financial support. Even in these difficult times, the response to our solicitations has been generous and consistent. Thank you.

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and exciting: I study aerospace history, practice leadership hands-on in a cadet run wing, and push myself in physical training. With the Air Force's new emphasis on expeditionary skills, I am being familiarized with common weapons systems, learning how to operate on and command fireteams, how to execute convoy operations, and more.

My own entry into a military career has been largely uninhibited by, what was for me, a chaotic secondary education. Grades, transcripts, and curricula are only used when evaluating an officer candidate for a scholarship award prior to participation in the program and do not have a bearing on general acceptance into ROTC, for which only a GED and enrollment in an undergraduate program is required. Further, after you begin to participating in ROTC only your performance in college academics and the ROTC program is used used to evaluate you. I received a 3-year $9,000/yr scholarship based solely on my academic performance during my WPI freshman year. My uncompetitiveness for a 4-year scholarship has been the only closed door I have ever faced because of my unschooling background and even this could have been remedied by careful records and transcripts of my independent studies.

Another very large part of my life right now is my work as a martial arts instructor. While living in the Northampton area I spent five years training at Spirit of the Heart in Pukulan Cimindie Tulen, an exotic and compassionate Indonesian martial arts style. When I came to WPI I started teaching my own lessons on the campus through WPI's Society of Martial Artists. This was the first time Spirit of the Heart's style and culture has ever been taught outside of the Pioneer Valley. A year later and I now have a small community of regular students, I teach seven hours of classes a week, and I remain the sole instructor at WPI. Much to my surprise I even found myself serving as the president of WPI's Society of Martial Artists before the end of my freshman year!

Of course, this degree of community involvement acts as a double-edged sword. As an unschooler, an intimate association with community organizations and military training programs, combined with the training and expertise gained from them, naturally set me up to be a student leader on my campus. But assuming this much responsibility while simultaneously

Liberated Learners Winter 2009

the Log Cabin in Holyoke. This year’s recipient of our SelfDirected Learning Award is Roget Lockard, a family and addictions therapist.

Please note that this event is moving from June to March this year. Please contact Ken in the coming weeks if you would like to attend this spectacular event.

losing control over the scope of my educational commitment put me in a position where academic success was challenging. I feel that unschoolers contain a surprising capacity for competitive performance in higher education and, although my overall academic performance has been above average, my marks have been a very strange mix of successes in challenging situations and failure with courses known for being easy. When I have trouble with academics it's a different kind of trouble than what my peers will have, and I suspect my difficulty's origins stem largely from what moved me to leave public education and join North Star.

But where would I be if I had stayed in public education? Probably not at an engineering school. A key advantage of unschooling is that it lets college admissions staff give you the benefit of the doubt. I don't mean to suggest students should use this to take advantage of admissions staff, but I do feel that a lot of very bad grades and wasted time from four years of disillusioned high school drudgery can do real damage. While I briefly attended high school I quite seriously regarded grades as a "function of obedience," and although this may have even been true for somebody who didn't need all of that homework to learn, it wouldn't have impressed any universities. Learning and acting on my own crafted me into more than what public education is capable of producing and the excellent marks from study at HCC gave me all of the proof of competence I needed to enter WPI. North Star helped give my self-directed education legitimacy in the eyes of reviewing admissions staff and, in linking me with HCC, put me in a position to realize higher education. t

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⊳ North Star teens learn SCUBA in preparation for their trip to Honduras.

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