WINTER 2010
LIBERATEDLEARNERS
Mid-year here at North Star finds us busting at the seams. The phone has been ringing off the hook!
A Swirl of Activity By Ken Danford, Executive Director
This fall and winter have brought a wave of new members to North Star, and we currently have nearly sixty teens involved with the program. Every day is a swirl of activity inside the building. Amidst the excitement, I have the pleasure of working with new families, discussing with each one the possibilities offered by homeschooling and North Star. My conversations include some philosophy, some references to my own teaching experiences, and many, many anecdotes of current
and former teens we’ve worked with at North Star. I listen to the stories of each incoming family, and consider which North Star member’s trajectory might be most useful for the parents and teens to hear about. The writings of Ilana Wilson and Carol Hetrick included in this issue tell stories that I find myself referring to frequently. Ilana describes her frustrations with schooling, her unique health issues, and how homeschooling has allowed her to develop her own rhythm and schedule.
Carol Hetrick, the mother of North Star alumnus Ben Rosser, has written up a story that would seem like a fairy tale if it weren’t true. The moral of her story, to me, is that teens who develop strong identities and confidence in their passions are quite able to address their weaknesses or vulnerabilities when they decide the time has come to do so. Both of these stories offer important insights into how we present the ideas and opportunities of self-directed learning to families daunted by the prospect. Enjoy them!
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