The Home Educator Spring 2014

Page 1

COMPLIMENTARY

SPRING 2014

Focus On: Evaluna Montaner

Singer, actress, dancer, world-足traveler, and 11th grader shares her homeschool experience

Manifesting a Magazine Giving Birth to The Home Educator

Spring is in the Air Favorite South Florida Nature Spots for the Whole Family

Worries Turned Wonderful Striking a Balance with Homeschooling, Working, and Finding Time for Yourself

Did you say the S-足word? Putting an End to the Socialization Myth

Autism Awareness A step by step guide to organizing an ABA home program Pg 26

contents

SPRING 2014 The mission of The Home Educator is to create a publication, in FROODERUDWLRQ ZLWK WKH FRPPXQLW\ WR EH LQFOXVLYH DQG UHà HFW WKH cultural, racial, religious, philosophical, socio-­economic, and stylistic diversity of the Homeschool Community in South Florida. To provide support and guidance and serve as a unifying force in the community. To dispel myths, increase awareness, and report accurate information about homeschooling.

Turned Wonderful 10 Worries South Florida Mom and Blogger,

“There is no school equal to a decent home & no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.�

Caitlin Fisch, shares her fears, anxieties, and her empowering homeschool reality.

-­Mahatma Gandhi

FOUNDER / EDITOR IN CHIEF

You Say the S-­Word? 12 Did Brenda Rufener, of The Homeschool Diaries,

tackles one of the biggest homeschool myths and explains the difference between being socialized and being social.

Marlo Planas

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

a Magazine 14 Manifesting Editor-­in-­chief, Marlo Planas, shares

her journey through schooling, parenting, her decision to homeschool, and how the concept of The Home Educator was born.

Claudia Valdes

above Bullying 20 Rise Children’s author, Deon Davis, addresses

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

the bullying problem, helps us identify bullying, and gives tips on how to address it. Alyssa Whitehouse

On Evaluna Montaner 22 Focus Singer, actress, dancer, world-­traveler,

CONTRIBUTORS

and 11th grader shares her homeschool experience.

Aixa Perez-­Prado . Caitlin Fisch Laura Hamel . Maria F . Christy Schultz Alexa Capri . Soleil Doering . Brenda Rufener . Deon Davis Sambra Zaoui . Jeanie Bachrach . Maureen Scott Evaluna Montaner . Marlene Montaner

& Portfolio Reviews 28 Evaluations A how to guide, Florida requirements, and list of local approved Evaluators.

Phone 786.303.1382 info@thehomeeducator.net | www.thehomeeducator.net )RU LQIRUPDWLRQ RQ ZKHUH WR ÀQG 7KH +RPH (GXFDWRU RU WR EHFRPH D distributor, call 786.303.1382 or email info@thehomeeducator.net. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

IN THIS PHOTO:

Nakoa Reyna, Catheryn Miller, Alexa Whitehouse, Kaleb Reyna, Taylor & Tyler Miller

The Home Educator is published quarterly / four times per year by The Home Educator, LLC. It is distributed as a complimentary magazine, free of charge throughout Miami-­Dade, Broward and the Palm Beaches. The Home Educator is not responsible for statements made by advertisers or writers. We make every effort to ensures the accuracy of information we print, but cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from omissions or errors. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is forbidden. Copyright 2014 by The Home Educator, LLC. All rights reserved.

Letter from the Editor

CONTENTS SPRING 2014

6 The Homeschool Guru

Q & A and advice by Executive Editor, Claudia Valdes.

16 Habits of Mind

BY MARLO PLANAS, EDITOR IN CHIEF

University Professor and homeschool mom, Aixa Perez-­Prado, has us take a look at our own thoughts, processes, and “Habits of Mindâ€?.

ON THE COVER: Evaluna Montaner

18 Discovering Florida: Spring

The Nature Teacher and homeschool mom, Christy Schultz, shares her favorite springtime nature spots for the whole family.

31 Book, Curricula,

and Media Reviews

This subject is very near and dear to me and I felt that our spring issue would not be complete without it.

Homeschool mom, Laura Hamel reviews “Your Child’s Strengths� by Jenifer Fox, M.Ed. and homeschool coordinator, Maureen Scott reviews “Mimio�.

Having worked as a behavior therapist and home program coordinator since 2000, I have heard PDQ\ SDUHQWV VD\ WKDW LW LV YHU\ GLIÀFXOW WR ÀQG D VFKRRO WKDW LV FRPSDWLEOH with their children and their individual needs. A particular school may have a strong academic program but not enough therapy services, or there aren’t enough social opportunities for their child with a social skills GHÀFLW RU SHUKDSV WKH GLHWDU\ QHHGV of the child cannot be monitored or met in the school environment. 3DUHQWV DUH ÀQGLQJ LW GLIÀFXOW WR ÀQG school placement with all of these components in place and, at the VDPH WLPH ZLWK WKH à H[LELOLW\ DQG compassion that an individual child requires.

33 Spotlight on

Homeschool Groups

Broward Homeschool Parent Support Group (PSG) and Palm Beach County Homeschool Group (PBC).

34 Rudi’s Creative Corner

Photo Š Donna Natale-­Planas

Rudi’s homeschool creative pics of the quarter from poetry to paintings to inventions and music, see what all these creative homeschool kids can come up with when giving freedom of expression.

facebook.com/homeschoolhandbook

For Autism awareness month, we have included an article by Jean Bachrach, MA BCABA, of Reaching Potentials. It provides a great starting point for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders or other learning differences who may be considering home education as an alternative.

The CDC reports that 1 in 50 kids in the U.S. has a diagnosis on the Autism spectrum. Keep in mind that no two children with ASD present in exactly the same way. Symptoms vary widely from physiological, social, verbal, intellectual, sensorial, and emotional. In many neuro-­typical children, the various components of development may seemingly

develop in synch with one another and along the expectations for chronological age. With ASD, it’s as if each component is isolated from the others and the disparity in developmental age for each FRPSRQHQW LV PDJQLĂ€HG It is unrealistic to ask a child to alter their learning style for the convenience of the teacher or school, and it will take a heck-­of-­ a-­lot of advocating, trial and error, funding, and time to change the way that schools are teaching, to VXLW RQH VSHFLĂ€F FKLOG LI WKLV LV DW DOO possible). To strive to create a learning HQYLURQPHQW WKDW LV ´RQH VL]H Ă€WV DOOÂľ is a lofty pursuit, to say the least. Until more customizable school options are available, many parents are turning to homeschooling or hybrids of homeschooling and therapeutic programs. Some may say that putting a home program together for a child with special needs would be a lot of work. The truth is that it would require just as much work as attending IEP meetings, parent-­ teacher meetings, doing homework, and maintaining outside therapy and enrichment services. In reality, a home program will likely prove to EH PRUH HIĂ€FLHQW DQG KLJKHU TXDOLW\ because the bureaucracy is taken of the equation. Currently, the U.S. Department of Education reports that 8.2% of parents who choose to homeschool their children do so because their child has special needs or a learning difference. 9% of homeschooling

parents homeschool because their child presents behavioral challenges in the classroom. The prospect of a home program can still be intimidating, but creating a buffet-­style academic and developmental program that PHHWV WKH QHHGV RI D VSHFLĂ€F FKLOG is not far fetched;Íž with a little elbow grease, research, and support. , KRSH WKDW \RX HQMR\ DQG Ă€QG support in The Home Educator magazine. Peace, Love, and Learning, Marlo

INDIEGOGO CONTRIBUTOR SHOUT OUTS Corina Fitch Bellymama Midwifery Steve and Marta Crane Alexandra B. Kontos RKE Law Group Margaret, Rene, and Saja Morales Averill Mackin Conley Elan Creative Communications Dr. Edith Shiro Amicus Medical Group The Leon family 3 Design Architecture Christy Schultz The Nature Teacher Alan Reyna Ancestral Vibrations for Wellness TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

5

THE HOMESCHOOL GURU

QA &

BY CLAUDIA VALDES, “THE HOMESCHOOL GURU�

Q Where do I start if I want to homeschool my children? A 5HDGLQJ 7KH +RPH (GXFDWRU LV D JUHDW Ă€UVW VWHS 7KH YHU\ QH[W DQG PRVW LPSRUWDQW WKLQJ LV Ă€QG D JUHDW VXSSRUW V\VWHP &DOO RQ \RXU IULHQGV DQG IDPLO\ WR VHH LI DQ\RQH NQRZV VRPHRQH ZKR KRPHVFKRROV 7U\ WR Ă€QG D PHHW up, a Facebook group, or just google homeschool groups in your area ( a listing of homeschooling groups in Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties will be available on www.thehomeeducator.net shortly). Once you have found a few homeschool groups close by call DQG Ă€QG RXW ZKHQ WKH\ PHHW DQG LI WKH\ KDYH DQ\ PHQWRU parents. Let them know you are interested in homeschooling and possibly joining their group. Second, if your child is currently in school I always suggest doing a test run during the summer. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between grades even if you decide homeschooling isn’t for your family. Once you KDYH Ă€JXUHG RXW \RXU WHVW run date, you might look up the Florida Common Core Education Standards and pick up a “What your _____ grader needs to knowâ€? by E.D. Hirsch book from Barnes & Noble or Amazon. They might even have a copy at the Library. These cover a ORW RI PDWHULDO EXW GRQ¡W IUHDN RXW :LWK WKHVH WRROV \RX FDQ peruse some of the subject matter that you might cover in

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

your homeschool program. Remember these are topics your child should to be exposed to not become masters in... Unless RI FRXUVH WKDW¡V ZKDW WKH\ ZDQW WR GR Next you send in your Notice of Intent to your local school board. It’s a very simple letter that must include the names, addresses and birthdate of each homeschool student. (template available on www.thehomeeducator.net) I strongly suggest this be sent with a return receipt. Here comes the fun part... Choosing your teaching method DQG PDWHULDOV <RX PLJKW Ă€QG D IHZ GLIIHUHQW DSSURDFKHV that you like ( I consider myself an Eclectic homeschooler because I use a few different methods). You can change, mix, supplement, or subtract anything that you like;Íž that’s WKH EHDXW\ RI KRPHVFKRROLQJ You have to maintain records and a portfolio for your end of the year evaluation. This can be as simple as a calendar where you write down what you did each day, or you could use an elaborate scheduling system or journal to record your day to day lessons. It’s up to you and your family. You will need to keep samples of your child’s work through out the year, a reading log, and a list materials used. /DVW Ă€QGLQJ WKH ULJKW HYDOXDWRU HYDOXDWLRQ PHWKRG $W WKH end of the school year, homeschoolers can choose to take standardized tests, complete a psychlogical evaluation, or KDYH WKHLU ZRUN HYDOXDWHG E\ D &HUWLĂ€HG WHDFKHU <RX PXVW LQWHUYLHZ D IHZ GLIIHUHQW HYDOXDWRUV DQG Ă€QG WKH EHVW PDWFK for your family. Say for instance, if you are unschooler you will ZDQW WR Ă€QG DQ HYDOXDWRU ZKR LV DEOH WR LGHQWLI\ ´SURJUHVVÂľ in an unschooled child. You set a time a date to have your evaluation, upon completion of your evaluation you will receive a form stating your child has complied with state statue and your intention to continue homeschooling for another year. You then send in your evaluation letter, again, I strongly suggest you send it with a return receipt and call to make sure they have it RQ Ă€OH Now you are set for DQRWKHU \HDU ,W¡V WKDW simple. If you decide homeschooling is not for you then all you have to do is send in your Letter of Termination and you can enroll your child in public or private school.

Q I’m not a teacher. Does homeschooling mean that I have to teach every subject? Are there options? A It is strongly recommended that children participate in educational and recreational activities outside of the home and learn from a variety of people, situations, and environments. There are many homeschool groups and co-­ops to supplement the homeschool curriculum, and there is an abundance of community classes and sports teams available to meet these needs. As far as the actual implementation of the curriculum, homeschooling laws in Florida give us three different options and a separate set of rules for each homeschooling option. Option 1: The parent can teach the child at home using “sequentially progressive instruction according to the requirements of Statutes 1003.21 and 1002.41â€?. The parent must inform the county superintendent in writing, within 30 days of beginning to homeschool (there is a template of the Notice of Intent available online at www.thehomeeducator. net). The Notice of Intent to Homeschool must include the names, addresses, and birth dates of the homeschool students. This only has to be done once.

4. 5.

Be evaluated by a Florida licensed psychologist or school psychologist. Be “evaluated with any other valid measurement tool as mutually agreed upon.�

Option 2: Join an existing homeschool umbrella school (600 school)/ private school or start your own, all you need is a group of two or more homeschooling families in order to operate as a private umbrella school. Along with other regulations such as holding a business license, incorporation and sending in database forms annually. This will exempt the student from compulsory attendance laws, 180 days of attendance a year. You are no longer considered a homeschooler by law but a private schooler. Option 3: Hire a private tutor. The tutor must hold a valid Florida WHDFKLQJ FHUWLÀFDWH LQ WKH JUDGHV RU VXEMHFWV WKH VWXGHQW LV being instructed in. Students must be instructed for the 180 days of attendance a year or the time equivalent. For more homeschool Q & A’s, visit our YouTube channel. :H RIIHU YLGHR DQVZHUV WR <285 TXHVWLRQV HYHU\ 7KXUVGD\ To submit your question email, info@thehomeeducator.net www.youtube.com/thehomeeducator

The parent must also keep a portfolio of homeschool records detailing education activities, reading materials, writing samples, worksheets, workbooks, and creative materials. This can be elaborate or very simple. The parent must keep two years records on hand and be able to produce them for the superintendent within 15 days written notice, should they request it. The school district has no authority to enter the home. There are no educational requirements for parents teaching students at home nor are there required subjects that need to be taught. As a registered homeschooler there are no required set days or hours for attendance. ,I WKLV RSWLRQ LV VHOHFWHG WKH SDUHQW PXVW ÀOH DQ DQQXDO evaluation with the local superintendent. Each student must do one of the following 5 options: 1.

2. 3.

Have an evaluation by a teacher holding a valid )ORULGD WHDFKLQJ FHUWLĂ€FDWH DQG VHOHFWHG E\ \RX WKH parent. The evaluation must include portfolio review and discussion with the student. Take any nationally normed student achievement test DGPLQLVWHUHG E\ D FHUWLĂ€HG WHDFKHU Take “a state student assessment test used by the VFKRRO GLVWULFW DQG DGPLQLVWHUHG E\ D FHUWLĂ€HG WHDFKHU at a location and under testing conditions approved by the school districtâ€?. TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

7

THE HOMESCHOOL GURU

The Home School Guru Hello my name is Claudia Valdes, deemed by others as The Homeschool Guru. I am very excited to be a part of this amazing PDJD]LQH , ZDQW WR ZHOFRPH DOO of you to my Q&A column where I encourage any questions and look forward to creating great connections. Here is a little bit about myself, my family and homeschool journey. I am a single mother of three independent DQG HFFHQWULF GDXJKWHUV Ă€IWHHQ year old twins, Taylor and Tyler, DQG Ă€YH \HDU ROG &DWKHU\Q :H have always homeschooled as they have never been in your traditional brick and mortar school. It has been a crazy adventure full of incredible memories and hair-­raising H[SHULHQFHV %HLQJ VXUURXQGHG by homeschooling for the past 20 years, I have had some interesting stories about the evolvement of homeschooling. , ZDV Ă€UVW LQWURGXFHG WR KRPHVFKRROLQJ as a young girl, when my aunt decided to homeschool my cousin. I was always very curious with the concept and loved the idea of a classroom in the house, I thought it was the neatest thing. While in high school I aspired to become a teacher and volunteered at the local elementary school. Little did I know I would soon “walkâ€? away from it as a career and make it my lifestyle. I became a mother at a very young age and went through a few ups and downs to say the least. After some personal experiences with the

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school system, both as a student and employee, I knew I wanted something different for my children. From the moment I was blessed with my own family there was one thing I knew I was going to do and that was homeschool my children. As life has a funny way of presenting itself, I was offered the chance to play with my idea of homeschooling. I was asked by a very dear friend of mine if I would be interested in “schoolingâ€? her daughter. She would have to enroll her into PreK4 for an additional year due to her birth date. I created my very own “classroomâ€? space in my home and thats were my homeschooling endeavors began. I then ran an after-­school program out of my home for two years. At this time, my daughters were a little over a year ROG DQG LW ZDV FRQĂ€UPDWLRQ WKDW WKLV was our future. Upon my aunt’s suggestion, I decided to join a homeschool group so that I could meet new moms, have support and be certain this is what I wanted to do with my own children. That was an adventure all in LW¡V RZQ 2K WKH VWRULHV , FDQ WHOO \RX It was not easy being a very young homeschool mother at a time when most support groups were very LQFOXVLYH ,W ZDV GLIĂ€FXOW DGMXVWPHQW for all. As the time passed and after “interviewingâ€? with a few groups in P\ DUHD ZH Ă€QDOO\ IRXQG D SHUIHFW Ă€W IRU RXU IDPLO\ In 2000, I was asked to become the VP of an incredible homeschool group, HELPS, it was a wonderful

experience. After a few years, a group of mothers and I decided to start our own group for the younger aged children. We worked WRJHWKHU DV VLVWHU JURXSV 7KH Ă€UVW would welcome middle school and older while we welcomed elementary age. It was a beautiful partnership. I became the president of SPLASH, a tri-­county all-­inclusive homeschool group, for over 6 years. SPLASH started with only 5 moms and grew to having well over 150 IDPLOLHV E\ WKH HQG RI LW¡V Ă€UVW \HDU It was the best memories of our entire homeschooling journey and blossomed into the passion I hold so dear to my heart today.

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Since then, I have taught numerous educational classes, spoken about homeschooling on national television, created & taught in co-­ops, held seminars and have mentored many parents on their homeschool journey. I now specialize in homeschool coaching, record keeping, organizing portfolios and “classroom spacesâ€?. I love having one on one consults where I mentor parents on many homeschool topics such as homeschool support and encouragement, communicating with your child, organizing classrooms, curriculum and portfolios. There is one thing I always say, “Homeschooling does not change the child. They are who they are regardless of where the go to school. We can only gear the learning process and to give them the tools to better suit them to be successful adults for their future.â€?

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014 TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014 259

WORRIES TURNED WONDERFUL

1RZ WKDW ZH KDYH EHHQ RIĂ€FLDOO\ homeschooling for the past few PRQWKV , FDQ FRQĂ€GHQWO\ VD\ WKDW none of my worries have come true. Each day brings a new challenge, usually something I never would have thought of, because life is like that. Everything I planned for and fretted over in my spinning mind is somehow ironing itself out. The things that I was afraid of led me to their own solutions and the PRVW GLIĂ€FXOW SDUWV DUH WKLQJV , QHYHU considered.

Photo Š istockphoto

My concern over not having enough time to get everything done and not having enough time for myself is one of the most surprising examples. Because I am “onâ€? with my kids for most of the day, HYHU\ GD\ , IHHO YHU\ VDWLVĂ€HG ZLWK my level of intimacy, involvement and interaction with them. I also sometimes feel like I want to run away and hide. The outcome has EHHQ WKDW , KDYH Ă€QDOO\ IRXQG WKH

motivation to do more for myself. I have signed up for weekly yoga classes, and I feel more excited than ever to sit down and write. The

“Everything I planned for and fretted over in my spinning mind is somehow ironing itself out.â€? intensity of the time spent with my children has somehow pushed me to a higher level of creativity and kindness for myself. Children will soak up all the energy that we are willing to give them. Spending more time with them has not led to me feeling resentful but rather to developing stronger boundaries. My children offer me the gift of today, of right QRZ RI JRLQJ ZLWK WKH Ă RZ :KHQ I am willing to accept this gift, it spreads into all areas of my life, and

I am so thankful that we took the leap to discover the triumphs and challenges that come along with homeschooling. Caitlin Fisch is a writer and personal FKHI KRPHVFKRROLQJ KHU ÀYH \HDU old son and one and a half year old daughter. She learns more and more IURP KHU NLGV HDFK GD\ DQG ÀQGV inspiration in introspection. Follow her adventures in parenting and personal growth at thejoyofcaitlin. com RU ÀQG KHU RQ )DFHERRN DW www.facebook.com/ thejoyofcaitlin, Twitter and Instagram @thejoyofcaitlin.

WORRIES TURNED

Wonderful

PEDIATRICS Newborns | Physicals | Inmunizations | Chronic and acute illness | Allergies | Attention Deficit Disorders

BY CAITLIN FISCH When we decided to homeschool our son after three years of preschool (yes, somehow he had three years RI SUHVFKRRO , ZDV WHUULĂ€HG , KDG a laundry list of worries that may sound familiar: 1. He will become anti-­social and weird. 2. I will become anti-­social and weird. 3. He will become overly dependent on me. 4. I will freak out and become resentful. 5. I won’t have any time for myself.

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6.

I won’t have the skills to teach him anything. 7. I won’t have time to teach him anything. 8. He won’t learn what kids his age are supposed to learn. 9. I won’t have anyone else to hang out with. 10. We’ll all be bored and stir crazy. 11. I won’t have time to keep up with housework and cooking and I’ll have to give up my blog. 12. My younger daughter won’t get enough attention.

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11

HOMESCHOOL DIARIES

The belief that homeschooled children are not socialized may be partially true. We socialize pets, but our kids are not caged animals, contrary to stereotypes. I take my dog to the park to meet and greet fellow canines – that’s called socialization. But when it comes to my children, it’s about being social. Manfred Zyskthis, homeschooling advocate, was quoted as saying: “Go to your local middle school, junior high and high school, walk down the halls and tell me which behavior you see that you think our son should emulate.�

school to learn social skills is like sending them to the candy store to learn about nutrition. It is time we move forward in our thinking on education and embrace homeschooling as another viable option for learning. And the next time you are asked about the s-­word, remember the words of Adele Carroll, “Forced association is not socialization.â€? Author bio: Brenda K. Rufener is an internationally published writer and author. She is a homeschooling mother of two and resides in North Carolina. More of Brenda’s work can be seen on her popular blog, www.homeschooldiaries.com.

The word socialization, as described by Merriam-­ :HEVWHU PHDQV ´WR PDNH VRFLDO WR Ă€W RU WUDLQ IRU VRFLDO environment.â€? This sounds a lot like public education, but not homeschooling. Teachers train children to act DSSURSULDWHO\ LQ WKH FRQĂ€QHV RI VFKRRO DW OHDVW WR WKH EHVW of their abilities. Unfortunately teachers do not have the power they once had and are bound by standards and systems put in place by the powers-­that-­be. Photo Š istockphoto

The misconception of socialization has led to a misunderstanding that in order to be social one must attend traditional school. While teachers mold children WR ÀW D VRFLDO HQYLURQPHQW FRQÀQHG VL[ RU VHYHQ KRXUV D day, homeschooling parents are busy creating social opportunities for their kids.

Did  Y ou  Say  The  S-Word? As a homeschooling mother of two for years, socialization is a non-­issue. But for the mainstream population, the s-­word is on the tip of tongues. BY BRENDA RUFENER

What about

Socialization?

This is one of the hottest topics in the world of homeschool. Stereotypes brand homeschoolers as children sequestered from society, sitting under lock-­and-­key absorbing textbook upon textbook. If you have been homeschooling for more than a week, or even considering home education, chances are high you have tackled the s-­word, and maybe even lived to tell about it.

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The socialization myth was born out of ignorance and is laughable to many who are in the trenches of homeschooling their children. The belief that the homeschool parent sequesters their child from society is unfounded. In fact, most homeschooling families report that their kids are actively involved in a number of extracurricular activities, many of which would not be available to them if the children were attending public school. My own daughter is a competitive gymnast, practices hours upon hours each week in the gym, a member of the gifted and talented youth program in our community, DQG D YROXQWHHU DW D ORFDO SHW KRVSLWDO 6KH ÀQGV WLPH LQ her busy schedule to hang with friends, go swimming with dad, and play with her little sister. I may even get a chore out of her if I’m lucky. Homeschooled children are social, exhibit extraordinary HWLTXHWWH DQG OLYH D IXOÀOOLQJ OLIH $UH WKHUH H[FHSWLRQV WR WKH rule? Of course, but as a whole, the community believes in being social, interacting with others, and having a good time. Our children should not be assimilated into society, but learn how to function within it while bringing value to it. :KHQ DVNHG DERXW VRFLDOL]DWLRQ , VWDQG ÀUP LQ P\ EHOLHI DV a homeschooling parent that sending your child to public TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

13

MANIFESTING A MAGAZINE

MANIFESTING Photo Š Donna Natale-­Planas

a  magazine

BY MARLO PLANAS

B

Born and raised in South Florida, I attended Dade county public schools for most of my schooling career and private schools for pre-­school and freshman and junior years of high school. Having dealt with turmoil at home, bullies, depression, anxiety, and the expectations of “giftednessâ€?, I QHHGHG WR Ă€QG P\ RZQ ZD\ WR peace and happiness and found school to be meaningless, empty, and traumatic. At 16, I got a job and found a small private school that would allow me to graduate early. I paid my own tuition and graduated a year early.

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

I took that year to work in a coffee VKRS DQG D ODZ Ă€UP DQG WR Ă€JXUH out what my next move would be. I tested the waters of independent “adultâ€? life, doing things that gave my life a sense of purpose and IXOĂ€OOPHQW , WKHQ GHFLGHG WKDW barista life wasn’t going to cut it and I made the decision to go to college. I always felt that I would be more successful in college than I ever was in compulsory schooling. I was right. I worked my way through college and it was meaningful. I never intended to go into a career of education. I studied psychology and was pursuing a career in

industrial psychology. However, I took a volunteer position at a school for children with Autism during my last year of college, was soon hired as a teacher, and felt that it was something that I could do well and make a difference while doing it. I moved back to south Florida and continued teaching at a local private school for children with Autism. I also helped families organize therapeutic and educational interventions and programs in their homes. In 2006, ZKHQ P\ ÀUVW VRQ ZDV ERUQ , QHHGHG WKH à H[LELOLW\ WR EH SUHVHQW LQ KLV life and to pursue my intuition that attachment parenting would suit our

family best. On my own schedule, and without the bureaucracy, I continued (and continue to this day) to teach, tutor, and provide verbal behavior therapy for children with learning differences and neuro-­ typical children. I also do consulting work with after school and camp programs that are seeking to include and accommodate children with learning differences. Throughout my career, having been a part of countless IEP meetings, classroom observations, and numerous parent-­teacher conferences. I have seen schools that are struggling to keep toilet paper stocked and schools where tuition is comparable to ivy league universities. I am not able to identify a single school that suits my preferences, my son’s preferences and needs, and would be affordable for our family. Do not be confused. I am not implying the high-­priced schools would meet our standards. When it comes to education, you do not always get what you pay for. A well-­rounded education can be had for pennies. This topic makes for an entire article. My point is that it’s highly XQOLNHO\ WKDW \RX ZLOO Ă€QG D VFKRRO RU homeschool for that matter) that is “the complete packageâ€? or utopia that we wish schools were. We did give school a shot, on more than one occasion. Our homeschooling journey began with a couple of bumpy experiences in pre-­schools. These experiences could also (and probably will) make for an entire article. At that point, I just wanted my son to be happy, secure, and loved and I felt that schools weren’t able to provide meaningful support for healthy social and emotional development. On the contrary, I felt that the experience was breaking him down. Furthermore, our family’s core values about nutrition, spirituality,

and individuality were certainly not being reinforced as we would have liked. Feeling overwhelmed and disenchanted with the idea of VFKRROLQJ ZH GRYH KHDG ÀUVW LQWR the world of home education.

“I just wanted my son to be happy, secure, and loved and I felt that schools weren’t able to provide meaningful support for healthy social and emotional development.â€? Since we began homeschooling in 2010, we have found a beautiful and diverse community from which to draw support, wisdom, advice, and friendship. We joined a co-­op, signed up for community classes, attended some park days, and put our lessons together. I read several books and blogs to gather the courage and security to plow ahead despite the cross-­eyed looks and naysayers.

stylistic diversity of the Homeschool Community in South Florida. To provide support and guidance and serve as a unifying force in the community. To dispel myths, increase awareness, and report accurate information about homeschooling.â€? We, the team of The Home Educator magazine thank you for your support, enthusiasm and contributions that have made this work a labor of love. We hope that you will feel supported, inspired, and included by our efforts. With love, Marlo Planas Editor-­in-­Chief “We have stories to tell, stories that provide wisdom about the journey of life. What more have we to give one another than our ‘truth’ about our human adventure as honestly and as openly as we know how? -­ Rabbi Saul Rubin

As new families began joining the community or considered joining the community, I began getting calls and emails (as I’m sure most homeschool parents do) with questions about homeschooling. A parent mentioned that it would be great to have all of the information in writing, in the form of a resource guide. It was clear that this is what I needed to do;Íž create a concrete community resource and information outlet. This is how The Home Educator Magazine has come to be. The mission statement of The Home Educator is to “Create a publication, in collaboration with the community to be inclusive and UHĂ HFW WKH FXOWXUDO UDFLDO UHOLJLRXV philosophical, socio-­economic, and

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

15

HABITS OF MIND

Answer “yes”, “sometimes”, or “no” to each of the following: 1.

Do I tend to give up on things too easily?

2.

Do I really listen and try to understand when I don’t agree with someone or I’m busy?

3.

Can I laugh at myself when I make a mistake?

4.

Do I never overreact, react too quickly or jump to conclusions?

5.

Do I think of new ways to look at things, and can I change my mind when introduced to new evidence?

6.

Am I aware of my own thinking process when making decisions?

7.

Do I check my work for accuracy?

8.

Do I always look for new information, am I curious about new ideas, and do I try new things?

Habits

of Mind

BY DR. AIXA PEREZ-­PRADO

Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES

Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES

Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO

A ‘Habit of Mind’ means having a disposition toward

•

Persistence

EHKDYLQJ LQ DQ LQWHOOLJHQW DQG UHÁHFWLYH ZD\ ZKHQ IDFHG

•

Listening with Understanding and Empathy

with a problem, the answer to which is not immediately

•

Finding Humor

evident. As homeschoolers, we are interested in giving our

•

Thinking Flexibly

children a wealth of valuable learning experiences that will

•

Metacognition (thinking about your thinking)

9.

Do I draw on past knowledge and experiences in new situations?

equip them to become competent and skilled problem

•

Managing Impulsivity

solvers. Most of us don’t want our children to mindlessly

•

Striving for Accuracy

follow the crowd;; we want them to be able to make

•

Creating, Imagining, Innovating

10.

decisions on their own that are smart and thoughtful. We

•

Questioning and Problem Posing

Do I use all of my senses to learn about the world?

want them to be able to meet challenging conditions that

•

Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations

demand strategic reasoning, perseverance, creativity and

•

Gathering Data Through All the Senses

11.

Do I use words effectively, am I always adding to my vocabulary and trying to be clear?

ÁH[LELOLW\ LQ RUGHU WR UHVROYH FRPSOH[ SUREOHPV :H ZDQW

•

Thinking and Communication with Clarity

12.

Am I curious and do I let myself have a sense of wonder about the world?

13.

Am I adventurous and willing to take responsible risks?

14.

Do I know that I need to keep learning throughout my life?

15.

Do I listen to others and learn from them?

16.

Do I ask lots of questions of others and myself and do I enjoy solving problems?

them to know how to behave sensibly in any situation they

and Precision

may encounter, and also how not to behave. Research

•

Taking Responsible Risks

indicates that there are certain characteristics of effective

•

Responding with Wonderment and Awe

thinkers and problem solvers that can be taught. These are

•

Remaining Open to Continuous Learning

the ‘Habits of Mind’ as described by Costa & Kallick (2008).

•

Thinking Interdependently

We all have plenty of good and bad habits that we

If we practice these habits of mind on a regular basis, we are more likely to be able to employ them when needed and therefore make better, more thoughtful, and more rational decisions. The journey of learning what is possible through the habits of mind is a journey that we can take together with our children. We can begin by asking ourselves and our children the following questions, to get an idea of which habits we need to work on the most, and which come more naturally to each of us. Try answering for yourself and your child, and have them do the same for you if they are of an age that they can understand the exercise. You may be surprised to hear what they think of you and your ‘habits’ and they may be surprised at what you think about them and their ‘habits’:

employ on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the bad habits VHHP WR EH VR PXFK HDVLHU WR DFTXLUH WKDQ WKH JRRG Whether positive or negative, in order to become ‘habits’, plenty of practice and repetition is necessary. If we want to become intelligent thinkers, we have to acquire the habits that promote intelligent thinking and that means practicing those habits as often as possible. We can incorporate training in the Habits of Mind into what we do everyday as homeschool parents for our children. The following is a list of the sixteen Habits of Mind:

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES Ō YES

Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES Ō SOMETIIMES

Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO Ō NO

If you answered yes to all of these questions then you are ZD\ DKHDG RI WKH JDPH 0RVW RI XV QHHG WR ZRUN RQ DOO of the Habits of Mind but some come more easily than others. Over the next few issues, I will delve in to one or more of the Habits of Mind in more detail and give ideas,

suggestions and share anecdotes with the homeschool community on incorporating these practices into our daily learning activities.

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

17

Discovering

FLORIDA Spring is in the Air

BY CHRISTY SCHULTZ, THE NATURE TEACHER Spring in Florida is notorious for attracting visitors from all over, especially of the college variety, the main reason being -­ the weather.

away in cracks and crevices in the limestone, sitting patiently -­ waiting IRU WKH UDLQV WR Ă€OO WKHLU SXGGOH RQFH more.

April is a month of blue skies, median temperatures, and dry, sunny days. The beaches are gorgeous and the skies are clear. It is a time to take advantage of the lack of mosquitoes, dry trails, and mellow temperatures. Floridians know it is the calm before the storm, the few last weeks before May begins to tease us with rain and thunder and heat;͞ before the mosquitoes hatch DQG EHIRUH WKH WUDLOV ÀOO ZLWK ZDWHU UHSOHQLVKLQJ WKH SUROLÀF ZHWODQGV that dot our state.

Occasional storms may spring up during late April and early May, causing lightning to hit the very dry JURXQG 7KH VSDUNV PD\ EULQJ ÀUH WR the landscape. Fire replenishes and cleans out, fertilizes and nourishes... Making way for new life. Fire has been a part of the South Florida environment for eons and our animals and plants are adapted to VXUYLYH LW LI LW LV D QDWXUDO ÀUH WKDW LV allowed to run its course. Human impact has changed all that, so QRZ SDUN UDQJHUV PDQDJH ÀUHV and prescribe them so that the natural landscape can continue to transform itself.

Spring is a time for migrating birds to pass through on their routes back to the cool north to settle in for the summer. The birds search for IRRG DV WKH\ Ă \ QRUWK VFRXULQJ WKH landscape for nourishing wetlands, which Florida has plenty of. The wetlands provide sanctuaries and vital stopovers for birds and other animals. Wetlands provide a home IRU WKH Ă€VK IURJV LQVHFWV FUD\Ă€VK algae, and plants that provide much-­needed sustenance to other organisms. Even in the dry season of the winter and spring in sub-­tropical South Florida, there are pockets of ZDWHU Ă€OOHG ZLWK Ă RXQGHULQJ OLIH almost waiting to be found before their pocket of water dries up. Even then, some life stays put, tucked

18

SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Spring is a wonderful time to get outside in Florida. Take your family outdoors for a nature experience while the skies are blue and the weather is cool. Go for a long hike EHIRUH WKH WUDLOV DUH Ă RRGHG DQG WKH PRVTXLWRHV KDWFK

Get Outside & Explore! A favorite wetland to learn about and visit: Chapel Trail Nature Preserve in West Pembroke Pines A favorite park with wetlands for canoeing and trails for hiking: Riverbend Park in West Jupiter

A favorite bird watching trail and wetland: Green Cay Wetlands in Delray Beach A favorite national park for hiking, paddling and learning about wetlands and their inhabitants as well as controlled EXUQLQJ DQG Ă€UHV Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee Christy Schultz is The Nature Teacher. ECO-­Every Child Outside makes Florida Nature Study a regular part of your life learning and homeschooling lives. www.thenatureteacher.com

Empowerment Drumming Can: • Foster Teambuilding • Improve Morale • Reduce Healthcare Costs • Decrease Turnover • Increase Job Satisfaction • Reduce Stress • Boost the Immune System • And so much more!

6 wk program for a team of up to 20 $3000 value for $1500! Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. Valid through 8/31/14

Alan Reyna 786.344.3450 . www.AlanReyna.com AncestralVibrationsForWellness@gmail.com TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

19

RISE ABOVE BULLYING

RISE  ABOVE BULLYING BY DEON DAVIS “Bullyâ€? and “bullyingâ€? are buzz words at the moment. We hear about incidents of bullying at school, work, in extracurricular groups;Íž student on student, teacher on student;Íž unfortunately, it’s everywhere we turn. It is, unfortunately, one of the reasons that some families turn to homeschooling. But, as homeschool parents know, homeschoolers are not isolated from the rest of the world and even homeschoolers may encounter bullying from time to time. :KDW GR NLGV GR ZKR GRQ¡W Ă€W LQ" +RZ GR WKH\ KDQGOH QRW EHLQJ SLFNHG IRU a pickup basketball game at the local park in their own neighborhood, or being called names at a party? Children and adolescents often employ various defense mechanisms and strategies to deal with bullying. They may try to imitate the behavior of their peers in order to become accepted into a group. Sometimes, children shut down and internalize the experience. This can have lasting, negative effects well into adulthood. Recognizing bullying in the early stages can make all the difference. In recent times, bullying has been found to be prevalent on the internet as well. Cyber bullying is when one person uses the internet, cell phones and text messages to harass another person with threatening messages, unwanted and negative comments, or by spreading humiliating rumors and images. Social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have been known to be used as a tool to motivate groups of people to bash someone or criticize them publicly. They have even been known to mobilize groups to an unsuspecting person’s location, be it home or a local mall. Cyber bullying can be just as traumatic as face-­to-­ face bullying. Which can leave a permanent record on the internet that can become viral extremely quickly. There have been some extreme cases of “cyber bullyingâ€? which have resulted in suicide. It is important to be aware of the fact that one’s child is being targeted by another person. It is important to have a close relationship and open communication with your

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

child. Sometimes, communicating with a tween or teen can seem challenging. In these cases, be observant and aware of their activities on cell phones and on social media. Parents, guardians, and siblings should be aware of any changes in the behavior of a child. A child who is being bullied or who is bullying may withdraw from their family and family activities and may be secretive or private with their cell phone usage and computer time. This should be addressed through parental controls, stricter media usage rules, and a discussion about the dangers of the internet immediately in order to circumvent scenarios of bullying or sexual predators and to avoid consequences. Parents, guardians, and siblings should always be a kind shoulder and a safe place for the child to trust and lean on in the event that someone instigates a bullying gesture towards them. If bullying is suspected, Never leave a child to fend for himself. Brainstorm ways to approach the bully and the situation without causing more harm and humiliation. If need be, consult with a mental health professional to evaluate the effects of the bullying and to help the child regain self-­ FRQĂ€GHQFH DQG D SRVLWLYH RXWORRN Never underestimate the effects that bullying may be having on your child. What may not appear to be a “big dealâ€? to an adult, may seem like the “end of the worldâ€? to a child. Undermining the child’s feelings about what is happening to him may send the message that it’s ok for people to emotionally abuse others. Homeschool parents have the advantage that they have more access to their children’s network of friends and can monitor what their

children do during the school day and what they are exposed to. The foundation for good self-­esteem, compassion, and can be built up at home. On the occasions that homeschoolers are participating in extracurriculars, community events, play dates, and parties they can be well-­equipped to stand up for themselves and for others. There have been arguments that taking a child out of school will teach them to run away from their problems and that kids should “toughen upâ€?. However, kids need not be subject to undue violence and abuse. This is not “realityâ€?. If, as an adult, you had to go to work and EH EXOOLHG GDLO\ \RX ZRXOG OLNHO\ Ă€QG a new job. Homeschooling can be a much needed opportunity for kids to recuperate, be nurtured, and to build themselves back up with an empowered identity. Deon M. Davis is a children’s author. Her works include Beanie and the Bully.

For more information on bullying contact: authorddavis@yahoo.com www.deondavis.com

It is important to clarify a few things with your child: What is bullying and what are the dynamics of bullying? Bullying is a form of intimidation. It may be very obvious like name-­calling or physical abuse, or it may be very subtle like leaving someone out of an activity or spreading rumors. Why do bullies bully and what are their goals? Bullies may feel like they have something to “proveâ€? to others;Íž bullies PD\ ZDQW WR Ă€W LQ ZLWK D FHUWDLQ group. They may enjoy the reaction that they get from their peers and targets and/or the feeling of control. Do bullies ever think of the consequences and effects of their behavior on their target? It’s important for kids to know that bullies are likely victims as well. They have, essentially, not developed past the narcissistic phase of childhood, possibly because of a traumatic event. A person with truly high self-­ esteem, integrity, and self-­ worth (not to be confused with a narcissistic personality) would not treat others poorly. Bullies may or may not consider the effect that they have on others. How do bullies choose their targets? The target may be perceived as weaker or not able to defend him/herself. But in fact, it has been found that bullies and their targets may have more in common than they know. Like a bully, the target may already be insecure and have attachment issues. The targets of bullying may also have a history anxiety, have overprotective families or families who use harsh punishment.

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

21

FOCUS ON: EVALUNA MONTANER

Singer, Actress, Dancer, Photographer, World-­traveler, and 11th Grader.

Evaluna Montaner shares her high school homeschooling experience with The Home Educator.

M

BY EVALUNA MONTANER

My life is often pretty crazy;Íž the good kind of crazy that is fast paced DQG Ă€OOHG ZLWK H[FLWLQJ DFWLYLWLHV 7KH Ă H[LELOLW\ RI P\ KRPHVFKRROLQJ has really helped make everything so much easier. “I actually love making Because we all work as artists, in my family, we are bound to friends wherever travel a lot. Homeschooling possible, and sharing our gives us the ability to “be in schoolâ€? anywhere on the different cultures.â€? planet.

Photo Š Donna Natale-­Planas

In my case, as long as I have Wi-­Fi, I’m good to go. My homeschool is often virtual, so I pretty much take my computer everywhere I go. One of the best things about homeschooling is that it allows you WR EH Ă H[LEOH WLPH ZLVH QRW WDNLQJ up too much of your time, especially if you’re traveling or working. For me, doing school a couple of hours a day is convenient because of my career. I have been acting for a couple of years, as well as singing and dancing, so homeschooling is just the perfect way to get the education you need while doing everything else you love, or need to do.

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Another thing I appreciate about homeschooling is that I am able to spend so much time with my family. I absolutely adore hanging out with my family and doing lots of fun activities, including going to our farm where we have created a foundation called “La Ventana de Los Cielos.� At “La Ventana,� we work with kids with special needs, giving them many types of therapies with the animals and such. I really

on all of a blessing receiving gratifying

The Opportunities , UHPHPEHU WKH Ă€UVW \HDU , VWDUWHG homeschooling;Íž many people thought it was the coolest thing because it was probably a piece of cake. It might be convenient but we do have to do work as well. We do research, write essays, take tests, and work on the curriculum;Íž we just do all of those things differently than kids in regular schools. Something else people automatically think when I tell them that I am being homeschooled, is that I have no social life. I can guarantee that is not true. Having a “social lifeâ€? mostly depends on each individual. I travel around the world and make friends everywhere, and I attend church

and have made good friends there. I actually love making friends wherever possible and sharing our different cultures. Regular public school might make it a little bit easier by putting a lot of people in

“Homeschooling gives us the ability to “be in school� anywhere on the planet.� one place, but who said life had to be easy? I wouldn’t have met all the wonderful people around the globe if I didn’t have all the opportunities that homeschooling brings me. I honestly feel more accomplished when I earn someone’s friendship by making an effort. For me, I really love the fact that my homeschool environment is

VSHFLÀFDOO\ &KULVWLDQ DQG LQ HYHU\ assignment there is a nice Bible verse added to them. I get to choose my own classes and there are many amazing subjects to choose from. There are also amazing electives that one can enjoy and explore IXUWKHU 7KLV FDQ KHOS \RX ÀJXUH RXW what you would like to study in the future. The last electives I chose were photography and culinary arts as both of these things fascinate me. I also selected forensic science because it is something that I have taken an interest in. So, homeschool has many amazing things to offer and best of all it is simply convenient. I feel free to express myself and MXVW EH PH , ZRXOG UHFRPPHQG homeschooling to anyone who is interested in it. Another big plus to being homeschooled is, I often get to wear my favorite uniform: my SDMDPDV

Evaluna At-­A-­Glance Q: Does your curriculum allow you to go at your own pace? A: Yes it does. My school puts out most assignments and you can choose to advance (your level of study) at whatever time you would like to.

Q: What types of extracurriculars do you do or have you done? A: , KDYH D ORW RI GDQFH FODVVHV Ă DPHQFR KLS KRS salsa, etc.

Q: Was it hard transitioning from conventional school to homeschool? A: It wasn’t that hard because the school I was going to only had classes up to the 8th grade;͞ therefore I had to go to another school anyway so I decided to try homeschooling. It has worked out perfectly.

Q: How did you feel about your brothers staying home while you were in public school? A: I guess that is what motivated me to really want to be homeschooled. I could see how much they could get done while being homeschooled and that was something I really wanted as well.

Photo Š Donna Natale-­Planas

Evaluna Montaner

enjoy seeing the smiles the kid’s faces. It is truly volunteering there and their smiles. It’s very helping these kids.

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

23

FOCUS ON: EVALUNA MONTANER

Marlene Montaner

Interview Marlene Montaner, Mom of Evaluna, Mauricio, and Ricky

Q: How long have you been homeschooling? A: For many years, about 10. Ricky began homeschooling in 10th grade and Mauricio was in 9th. Then, Evaluna also began when she was in the 9th grade. 4 :KDW ZHUH WKH FKDOOHQJHV DQG EHQHÀWV WR KDYLQJ children of different ages homeschooling at the same time. A: The older child who had already been homeschooling would help the younger child who was experiencing it for WKH ÀUVW WLPH 7KDW ZDV KHOSIXO Q: There are so many “styles” and educational philosophies. How would you describe your homeschool style? A: We are very relaxed, but with deadlines. We use a Christian Curriculum. Q: I understand that Evaluna was in a conventional school setting. Who decided to make the switch to homeschooling and why? A: Yes, and I loved the school. I decided to homeschool RQFH WKH\ DJHG RXW RI WKDW VFKRRO EHFDXVH , FRXOGQ·W ÀQG another school that met my expectations. Many of the others (high schools) were schools with high academic records but with wealthy people and very little supervision, or drugs, or many things that I didn’t want for my kids. Q: Why did you choose to homeschool? A: Homeschooling is more comfortable for us because we travel a lot and I think it is healthier. 4 +RZ KDV KRPHVFKRROLQJ EHQHÀWHG \RX DQG \RXU children? What experiences might you/they not have had otherwise? A: We can be together as a family, always united. We travel together, we hang out together, we adapt our lives the way that we want.

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SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Q: How much importance do you place on extracurricular activities? Did you have a hand in choosing which extracurriculars your kids would participate in? A: I believe that it’s very important that they do extracurriculars so that they can make friends. I think that homeschool groups are a great alternative, for this reason. Also, sports activities and music are important, although, I believe that the most important activity is spending time with the family. I don’t think that it is good, those kids, who have a thousand activities and spend little time at home. Q: Before you homeschooled your kids, did you have any experience with homeschooling or exposure to the community? Did you have a mentor or someone to guide you? A: No. None. Everyone (family and friends) said “how FRRO µ EXW , WKLQN WKDW WKH\ ZHUH WKLQNLQJ ´, ZRXOG QHYHU do that with my kids.” (I worried a little about the social part. But we have managed it well. The kids also had their youth group at church, so that helped.) Q: What is the best thing about homeschooling your kids? What is the most challenging aspect? A: With the curriculum that I chose, I don’t have to teach the lessons, and I think it’s better because I don’t think I would be very good at it. When Eva has needed extra help, we have hired a tutor for a few hours, mostly for math. Q: Do you have any advice for parents who are considering homeschooling or who are new at it? A: My advice is that they should take advantage of the opportunity to be closer to their kids, to show them the right path. So that they (the parents) can be the ones who answer their kids’ questions about life, and so that they can eat meals at the table, all together. These are some of the advantages of homeschooling-­ spending time together and strengthening the family ties. This is very much needed.

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Brain SPECT is a widely accepted nuclear medicine procedure which takes a snapshot of brain activity. Brain SPECT enables us to evaluate: • Areas of your brain that work well • Areas of your brain that work too hard • Areas of your brain that do not work hard enough Conventional and alternative modalities include: • Microcurrent technologies • HBOT • Alternative medicine • SPECT • Diet • HRT

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STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO ORGANIZING AN ABA HOME PROGRAM

A Step by Step Guide to Organizing an ABA Home Program For the child with ASD BY JEAN BACHRACH, MA BCBA Teaching your child with autism at home PD\ DW Ă€UVW VHHP OLNH D GDXQWLQJ WDVN <RX are certainly asking all kinds of questions: <RX DV \RXU FKLOG¡V Ă€UVW DQG EHVW WHDFKHU probably know what you would like for them to learn but how will you do it? Is there a curriculum? What if we get stuck? Children with autism need to learn social skills, will my child missing out on something important? Using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) at home for children with ASD has some pretty LPSUHVVLYH UHVHDUFK EHKLQG LW Ă€YH GHFDGHV ZRUWK DQG D ELJ SDUW RI it’s success is parent led teaching. ABA involves teaching skills and EHKDYLRUV WKDW DUH VRFLDOO\ VLJQLĂ€FDQW while using data to determine if the teaching is effective. The skills addressed with ABA are broken down into small steps and taught using a variety of methods depending on the type of skill you want to teach. The most wonderful thing about ABA is that it can be applied to anything you would like to teach at home from academics, to P.E., the life skills, to things you want your child to learn to do in the community, or on Ă€HOG WULSV ZLWK D KRPHVFKRRO JURXS You can decide to do this entirely on your own by using internet ABA resources or, preferably, you can get training and help from a local behavior analyst. This can be done more economically than you might think and your health insurance may cover behavior analysis services. Here is how to get started: 1. Educate yourself about ABA and home programs by reading some basic material: A Work in Progress: Behavior Management Strategies and a Curriculum for Intensive

26

SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Behavioral Treatment of Autism Ron Leaf (Editor) and John McEachin (Editor) This parent friendly guide also includes a basic step by step curriculum. Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals Catherine Maurice (Author, Editor), Gina Green (Editor), Stephen C. Luce (Editor) This is an older book but contains great VFLHQWLĂ€F LQIRUPDWLRQ WKDW LV VWLOO SDUHQW friendly. It also contains curriculum goals divided into beginning, intermediate and advanced categories. Making a Difference: Behavioral Intervention for Autism Catherine Maurice (Author), Gina Green (Author), Richard Foxx (Author) This manual covers some areas not addressed in the other two and contains a fantastic peer/social skills curriculum that is also divided into beginning, intermediate and advanced sections. 2. Get training in how to implement ABA. Here are a few options: Find a local ABA agency that will either provide you with a classroom type ABA training or can provide and in-­home workshop style training. With the latter you will have the option of the behavior analyst evaluating your child and providing goals, objectives and behavior plans to get you started, as well as ongoing support as QHHGHG 7R Ă€QG D EHKDYLRU DQDO\VW LQ \RXU DUHD VHDUFK WKH &HUWLĂ€FDQW Registry here: www.bacb.com ( The Behavior Analyst &HUWLĂ€FDWLRQ %RDUGNJ ,QF

There are now a variety of on-­ line ABA training options geared towards parents. Here are two examples: http://www.ibehavioraltraining. com/IBT/Elearning.aspx (by The Center for Autism and Related Disorders at www.centerforautism.com) KWWS ZZZ UHWKLQNĂ€UVW FRP ,QIR parents.aspx (by Rethink Autism at www. UHWKLQNĂ€UVW FRP

Both of these organizations also have options for ongoing curriculum development and training. 3. By using the options above, GHYHORS \RXU Ă€UVW VHW RI VNLOOV WKDW you want to teach and organize them into a notebook so that you can keep daily data. If you need help with the data sheets, notebooks or tracking simply do an internet search “ABA data sheetsâ€? and you will see a great variety of free options and examples. Many parents, usually with the help of a behavior analyst, use this skills tracking system to help with curriculum ideas: The Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills -­ Revised $%//6NJ 5 GHYHORSHG E\ 'U James W. Partington. More information here: www.partingtonbehavioranalysts. com

4. Now you are ready to set up and start teaching. Here are some of the things you will need. • A sturdy table and comfortable chairs set that gives you and your child plenty of room, with a table big enough to so that any items you place on it won’t be too close together. • Storage bins in small medium and large sizes so that you can easily store materials. • A hot laminator/ laminating sheets • Materials that correspond to the skills you will be teaching

An ABA intervention should be naturally incorporated into every facet of the daily routine. As with anything else, practice makes perfect and eventually, it will be second nature to teach as you go through your day. To ease the load and provide respite for parents, a therapist or tutor can be hired to implement the program full or part time. In addition to structured therapeutic and academic activities, it is very important to supplement with community classes, VRFLDO JURXSV H[WUDFXUULFXODUV ÀHOG trips, and play dates.

There are plenty of materials ready made to purchase online. Here is a website that may help: http:// www.abaresources.com/ A more cost effective way to DFTXLUH PDWHULDOV LV WR Ă€UVW WDNH stock of what you already have in your home. Teaching the child using the real, functional items he or she is using is always preferable. You can take your own pictures of things to print and laminate as well as having them available on a tablet or computer so that you don’t have to even print. You will be teaching your child in all rooms of your home, outside and in the community and all of these places contain many of the things that you will need. You can also search the internet for “free ABA materialsâ€? for excellent ready to print items. There are also free ABA websites such as www.jacobslessons.com, autism apps, and computer games and software. A comprehensive list of recommendations can be found on www.thehomeeducator.net.

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

27

EVALUATIONS & PORTFOLIO REVIEWS

Evaluations PortfolioReviews BY CLAUDIA VALDES

As Florida homeschooling parents, we are required to provide an annual evaluation documenting your child’s demonstration of educational progress at a level commensurate with his or her ability. It is very important that you remember that they have to demonstrate educational progress at their own pace and not by any state standards. An evaluation will be due one calendar year (and every year thereafter) from the date you established your home education program (from the date that \RX Ă€OHG \RXU 1RWLFH RI ,QWHQW ZLWK \RXU GLVWULFW VXSHULQWHQGHQW , WU\ WR HQG my “school yearâ€? at least 1 month prior to my anniversary date, that gives me plenty of time to prepare, print anything that needs to be printed (including our yearbook), schedule my evaluations, and tie up any loose ends. For many homeschoolers, evaluations and portfolio reviews are a source of stress and anxiety. Between the stories that parents hear, the confusing terminology of in-­state homeschooling statutes, and misconceptions exploited by the media, it’s easy for parents to let their thoughts and fears get the best of them. The best way to squash all those fears is by doing your research and educating yourself. Learning about portfolio evaluations and local homeschooling laws can help dramatically eliminate the stresses when it comes to keeping your children’s student homeschooling UHFRUGV 7KHUH DUH VHYHUDO ZD\V RI IXOĂ€OOLQJ WKH DQQXDO HYDOXDWLRQ requirement. Here is a comprehensive guideline for doing so:

•

Option1: Record-­keeping and portfolio review Homeschool portfolios document what your child has learned, how it was accomplished, what resources were used, and how much progress was made. In Florida, we have a checklist of things that are required to be available in the portfolio: • Daily Log -­ I use Homeschool Tracker for myself and my clients, you can also use calendar or scheduling software, a regular calendar, a simple notebook, or printed weekly logs. Fill in your child’s lessons in your ORJ DQG WKHQ DGG LW WR WKH SRUWIROLR %H VXUH WR LQFOXGH DQ\ Ă€HOG WULSV DQG activities. Reading Log -­ (List of curriculum used and books read throughout the year) Make sure to include any online resources used, (i.e. FL Virtual School, Broward Virtual, Online teaching/game sites, e-­books, etc.) I always suggest making two different logs:

1.

•

Curriculum Used -­ include any textbooks, websites and workbooks used. 2. Books Read -­ be sure to include all read aloud, e-­books, books on tape, books read for fun, as well as books assigned. Samplings of student work -­ This does not mean that you have to include every page of school work completed, but you should still include enough to give a thorough picture of progression in a given subject throughout the year. It is perfectly okay not to keep all of your child’s work. Don’t feel that you need to choose items that are always perfect or scored high. For example, include ERWK WKH Ă€UVW DQG Ă€QDO GUDIW RI WKH VDPH HVVD\ <RX PD\ feel like you should only keep only the best work, this is actually not the best idea. The purpose of a portfolio is to demonstrate progress, therefore it should contain both low scores along with similar items showing improvement. Be sure to include a sample for each subject from the beginning of the year, the middle, and the end.

method. For example, if you are using the Unschooling method you should hire a teacher who is familiar with unschooling, to evaluate your child. If they are not familiar with unschooling, they will not understand the theory behind that method of learning and how to measure progress. If, for some reason, you are not in agreement with your evaluation report, you have the right to choose another HYDOXDWRU WKDW PLJKW EH D EHWWHU Ă€W IRU \RXU IDPLO\ Option 2 -­ Testing Homeschool students are NOT required to participate in the FCAT testing. The only time it is mandatory is when you are homeschooling through your district school;Íž and at that point are not considered a homeschooler but a public student who does his or her schooling at home (Florida Virtual or Broward Virtual) 1.

Homeschool portfolios are as unique as the families who make them. Scrapbook style, three-­ring binders, DQG DFFRUGLRQ Ă€OHV DUH DOO FRPPRQ DSSURDFKHV WR homeschool record keeping. The most common portfolio is a three-­ring binder with subject dividers. As a paperless alternative, some parents choose to keep electronic homeschool portfolios for student record-­keeping, these are growing in popularity. A great way to approach homeschool record-­keeping is to treat it as a keepsake or scrapbook project. It is an opportunity to save happy memories of your homeschool years. Don’t let it feel like it’s a burden just because it’s required by law. You can let your children choose the work and projects they would like to add. It gives them an opportunity to revisit lessons and events. Record it in your planner as “portfolio daysâ€? and count it towards school.

2.

Your child can take any nationally normed student achievement test such as The Iowa Tests of Basic 6NLOOV ,7%6 DGPLQLVWHUHG E\ D FHUWLÀHG WHDFKHU You can use this option for your own records and it is not necessary to send your child’s test scores to your district superintendent. Have your child’s test results sent to you, what you do with them is your choice. You PD\ KDYH D FHUWLÀHG WHDFKHU UHYLHZ WKH WHVW UHVXOWV and/or portfolio and send the evaluation letter to the superintendent;͞ OR A state student assessment test, such as The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) used by WKH GLVWULFW VFKRRO DQG DGPLQLVWHUHG E\ D FHUWLÀHG teacher, at a location and under testing conditions approved by the district school. FCAT scores of homeschool students are automatically sent to the 2IÀFH RI WKH 6XSHULQWHQGHQW DQG PXVW EH XVHG DV the annual evaluation for home education. (If scores are unsatisfactory, no other form of annual evaluation can be substituted.)

<RX ZLOO KLUH D FHUWLÀHG teacher of your choice to evaluate your child’s educational progress upon review of your portfolio, test results, and meeting with your child. The WHDFKHU PXVW KROG D YDOLG )ORULGD FHUWLÀFDWH WR WHDFK academic subjects at the elementary or secondary levels.

Option 3-­ Psycho-­educational evaluation Your child can be evaluated by a psychologist (an individual holding a valid, active license pursuant to the provisions of s.490.003(7) or (8));͞

With this option, it is extremely important to remember you are the one hiring the evaluator. Choose your evaluator carefully. Select a few, call or email each one and ask a few questions;Íž like a mini interview before making your decision.

Although anyone can choose this option, families commonly choose this option when their children are in therapy or have learning differences. Try to select a psychologist who is familiar with homeschooling and has a positive opinion about your family’s decision to homeschool.

:LWK VR PDQ\ PHWKRGV RI KRPHVFKRROLQJ \RX ZDQW WR ÀQG the right evaluator to suite your family’s needs. Make sure that they are familiar with your homeschooling method. I have known families that use a different evaluator for each child because each child is learning with a different

Option 4-­ Your child can be evaluated with any other valid measurement tool, as mutually agreed upon by you and your district school superintendent.

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

29

EVALUATIONS & PORTFOLIO REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEW

Ask questions about what an evaluator’s reviews/ evaluations entail: •

How long have they been evaluating homeschoolers?

•

Do they do any sort of testing?

•

Do they talk to the children alone or with you in the room?

•

Most importantly, ask them if they are familiar

APPROVED EVALUATORS Antonia Klath toni21c@live.com South Broward Cheryl Trzasko 561-­798-­3842 chavivah@yahoo.com Wellington, FL

Book Review BY LAURA HAMEL

with your method of schooling or the curriculum Katie Gonzalez 305-­984-­6478 kgmiami@bellsouth.net

you are using. • Ask yourself: •

Do you and your child feel comfortable with them?

•

Has anyone you know used their services?

After the evaluation: ,W LV \RXU UHVSRQVLELOLW\ WR Ă€OH D FRS\ RI WKH UHVXOWV ZLWK \RXU GLVWULFW VFKRRO VXSHULQWHQGHQW¡V RIĂ€FH 7KH GLVWULFW VFKRRO superintendent will review, and must accept the results of WKH HYDOXDWLRQ 6HQG WKH RULJLQDO SDSHUZRUN YLD FHUWLĂ€HG mail with a return receipt. Make copies of all paperwork and keep all receipts. Then, add the documents to the following year’s portfolio. If your child does not demonstrate educational progress at a level corresponding with his or her ability, the district school superintendent will notify you, in writing, that progress has not been achieved. You will have 1 year from the date RI UHFHLSW RI WKH ZULWWHQ QRWLĂ€FDWLRQ WR SURYLGH UHPHGLDO instruction. At the end of the 1-­year probationary period, your child will need to be reevaluated. Continuation of a homeschooling program will depend upon your child demonstrating educational progress at the end of the probationary period. For more detailed information read Florida Statute 1002.41. Whether you are thinking about homeschooling, are new to homeschooling, or an overwhelmed veteran homeschooler;Íž know that you have someone at your side during your homeschooling endeavor. Life can be hectic and chaotic at times but record keeping and evaluations really shouldn’t be the cause of any added stress.

Linda Guarin 954-­655-­3133 Ă€YH HU#KRWPDLO FRP Davie, FL

As

homeschooling

recommendations to transform the

her several times if she would like to

parent and someone who’s always

a

mom,

methods of modern schooling. The

do the activity the characters are

been interested in learning and

second half of the book is full of real-­

doing.�

intelligence theories, I found Jenifer

life examples and detailed practical

Fox’s book, Your Child’s Strengths, an

applications, which I, as a parent,

Guru�,

call

954-­683-­0822

or

email

section entitled: 13 Moments in

read.

History: A Brief History of Educational Theory,

is

a

survey

of

While containing practical ideas

educational

and

about

different eras and cultures. Likewise,

children’s innate strengths, as well

Appendix C – a list of web sites,

as

problems

schools, and companies – is another

with our school system today, Your

valuable resource for philosophy

Child’s Strengths, rather than a

and curriculum development.

Sheri E-­mail: esm25us@yahoo.com

groundbreaking playbook, is a well-­

Grace C. Rodriguez 2IĂ€FH Email: FloridaHomeschoolHelp@yahoo.com ZZZ Ă RULGDKRPHVFKRROKHOS FRP Working the Entire State of Florida. Shenty Torres qrious17@yahoo.com Metro Life Church in Doral

advice addressing

for

parents

current

philosophies

from

organized resource worth delving

While I don’t completely agree

into if you are involved with children

with

in any way.

goals of Positive Psychology, there

Fox’s

entire

premise

and

are several useful and thought-­ As Fox herself points out, “Everyone

provoking

who has a role in raising children has

Your Child’s Strengths worthwhile

an important part to play‌�

reading for any educator. I plan to

'HĂ€QLQJ KXPDQ VWUHQJWK DV ´WKH

research and incorporate several

things that we do that make us feel

concepts

that

make

ideas and approaches mentioned

energized and alive when we do

always appreciate over abstract

them,� Fox suggests we need to

SKLORVRSK\ WKDW LV GLIĂ€FXOW WR WUDQVODWH

choose to see the strengths in each

into daily curriculum. Rarely do most

“Laura is a homeschooling Mom of

child, instead of the weaknesses.

SDUHQWV DQG WHDFKHUV ÀQG WKH WLPH

3 boys and also runs a Mathnasium

Much like the premise found in

IRU SHQVLYH UHĂ HFWLRQ

math

Mel Levine’s A Mind at a Time, Fox that

we

should

the

section

on

assessing

bolster each child’s self-­esteem

FKLOGUHQ¡V VSHFLĂ€F VWUHQJWKV )R[

through “positive psychology.�

provides several examples for those

Claudia@

in the book.

learning

center

in

Coral

Gables.� In

www.Mathnasium.com/coralgables

working with children too young to ,Q WKH Ă€UVW KDOI RI <RXU &KLOG¡V

accurately self-­assess. For instance,

homeschool mom who has been very active in the

Strengths, Jenifer Fox explores and

older children can write about

community over the past 15 years. She is a founding

explains the negatives of the current

which activity is most appealing,

member of S.P.L.A.S.H. and currently mentors parents

educational system. Her discussion is

but for younger children, “Find three

and specializes in homeschool record-­keeping.

not limited to a critique;Íž she readily

pictures of characters engaged in a

provides

variety of different activities‌. ask

SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

which

Judith Hurst, Founder Yellow Wood Learning Community Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954-­253-­9563 Judith@ywlc.org www.ywlc.org

thehomeeducator.net. Claudia is an experienced

30

Fox also includes an enlightening

engaging and thought-­provoking

acknowledges To book a session with Claudia, “The Homeschool

a

tangible

and

realistic

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

31

CURRICULUM REVIEW

SPOTLIGHT ON HOMESCHOOL GROUPS

Curriculum Review

BROWARD HOMESCHOOL PARENT SUPPORT GROUP (PSG)

MIMIOSPROUT REVIEW BY MAUREEN SCOTT

Mimiosprout (formerly Headsprout)

few 2 word sentences) with a lot

mimiosprout with Harry (3.5 years)

is a staple in our homeschooling

of pictures and the word “see� on

and are once again appreciating.

curriculum. It is a computer based

every page. After doing the work

learn

When

they earn coins and can use them

Mimiosprout is $100 and worth every

you sign up they also send you 12

to buy short (30 second) videos

penny for us. If you too are looking

reader books and a progress chart

or games. They make him do this

for

with stickers that the child can use

over and over in different games.

organized “learn to read� program

to keep track of his hard work. Its

If he is getting the answers right

LW PLJKW EH D JRRG ÀW IRU \RX WRR

is recommended for preK to 2nd

the program moves him to a new

<RX FDQ ÀQG RXW PRUH DQG WU\ D IUHH

graders. We started mimiosprout

thing. If he is still struggling they

sample lesson at www.mimio.com.

when Max was 5. Max was clear

keep working on it until he gets it.

on all of his letter sounds but

The lessons get progressively, but

Maureen Scott is a Homeschool

was struggling with blending the

almost imperceptible harder. By the

Coordinator of 3 years to a family of

sounds together to make words.

time Max completed mimiosprout

3 boys ages 7, 3 and 2

He could do it but it was a struggle.

he was a voracious reader who was

He knew what sound “s� made

FRQĂ€GHQW LQ KLV UHDGLQJ VNLOOV 7R WKLV

but “s+t+o+p� was too much to

day Max loves reading and I credit

sound out together to make the

this to never pushing him too hard

word “stop�. Mimiosprout would

ZKHQ KH ZDVQ¡W UHDG\ DQG Ă€QDOO\

repetitively make Max do his letter

Ă€QGLQJ PLPLRVSURXW D SURJUDP WKDW

sounds and combinations of letter

really worked for him. After a child

sounds through different games.

completes a lesson the parents get

Since he was on the computer and

an email letting them know the

clicking around doing games he

lesson was completed, what the

was happier with the repetitiveness

lesson was about and what words

of the lessons than if I had been

ZHUH VSHFLĂ€FDOO\ XVHG 7KH IROORZ XS

making him do it. In mimiosprout

to mimiosprout is mimioreading. This

they work hard to make it fun. There

focuses on reading comprehension.

are 80 lessons and each lesson

We started Max on this immediately

starts with a learning activity and a

DIWHU FRPSOHWLQJ WKH ÀUVW OHYHO RI

follow up with practice games. For

mimiosprout.

example the very beginning and

got very frustrated and struggled

easiest lessons start like this: they

greatly. We put it away and came

say what “s� sounds like and what

back to it 6 months later and he

“ee� sounds like and then they

was more prepared for it. The

make him combine those sounds

comprehension

together to make “see�. They will

vocabulary was challenging but

have Max read a short story (a

appropriate. We are now starting

to

read

32 20 SPRING 2014

program.

. TheHomeEducator.net

He

wasn’t

practice

ready,

and

a

comprehensive,

fun

and

7KH %URZDUG 36* LV D QRQ SURĂ€W SDUHQW led support group for homeschooling families of all backgrounds and educational models. The leadership of PSG is Christian, but people of all beliefs are welcome in our membership and activities. We offer support and practical advice for those just beginning the homeschooling journey, as well as connections and resources for the seasoned homeschooler. We have VHSDUDWH DFWLYLWLHV Ă€HOG WULSV DQG VSHFLDO HYHQWV IRU HOHPHQWDU\ middle and high school aged children respectively – as well as events for the whole family, such as our annual Thanksgiving Feast and our Not-­Back-­To-­School Bash. PSG also hosts the Broward Enrichment Homeschool Classes (BEHC) – a once-­weekly set of classes available to middle and high school students, which can be integrated into a homeschool curriculum. Our monthly meetings take place on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year, and feature helpful seminars and encouraging speakers. The meetings are also host to a fun night for children of all ages, who have their own social time and activities while their parents get together for fellowship and support. Our monthly meetings are open to all, and membership is not required. If you do choose to join PSG as a member, you will receive our H PDLO QRWLĂ€FDWLRQV RI DOO XSFRPLQJ HYHQWV IRU RXU IDPLOLHV DV well as full access to our website (www.browardhomeschool. com), which includes the calendar of events and sign-­ups for WKHVH HYHQWV )RU HOHPHQWDU\ VFKRRO VWXGHQWV RXU IUHTXHQW Ă€HOG trips are a great opportunity. The trips include theatre and stage productions, cultural fairs, visits to museums and gardens, and tours of specialized locations, factories and businesses. The middle and high school students have their own social events, parties and even a student government. The high school students plan and implement a prom every year. We close every school year with a special “Awards and Promotionsâ€? night, which allows parents to recognize their childrens’ special achievements that year. Above all, Broward PSG desires to provide support and encouragement to homeschooling families in the area. We offer information and valuable resources and opportunities for homeschoolers, but more than that – we seek to create a place where homeschoolers can connect with one another, and develop the supportive relationships they need to keep going during the more challenging times we all experience. For more information, see our website www.browardhomeschool.com Or email us at browardhomeschool@yahoo.com

PBC Homeschoolers, Inc. is an inclusive volunteer-­ run homeschool support group open to local Palm Beach County, Florida homeschoolers regardless of beliefs, ethnicity, or homeschooling style. Our focus is on homeschooling with an aim to provide friendly, low-­cost support with social and educational opportunities for all. PBC Homeschoolers is an LQFRUSRUDWHG QRW IRU SURĂ€W JURXS DIĂ€OLDWHG ZLWK /,)( of FL. PBCH currently meets twice monthly for park days at Seminole Palms Park in Royal Palm Beach on Friday mornings. We ask anyone interested in joining RXU JURXS WR FRPH PHHW XV DW D SDUN GD\ Ă€UVW 7KH Ă€UVW RI RXU PRQWKO\ SDUN GD\V LV JHDUHG WR WKH homeschooling parent (though kids are welcome to come and play, of course) with topics of discussion to help each other. The second park meeting is geared to the kids with activities such as Field Day with tug-­of-­war, sack races, and other fun games, or our Kids’ Carnival where the kids made their own carnival games for the others to play, or our holiday Kids’ Bazaar where the kids sell their handmade creations. :H KRVW D QXPEHU RI Ă€HOG WULSV DQG DFWLYLWLHV VXFK as our annual Science Day, World Day, and Talent Show, as well as a variety of on-­going activities. Currently, we have parents running tennis and soccer lessons, sewing lessons, a bimonthly S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and math) Club, a yearbook committee, and a Drama Club. We offer regular discounted admission to a local ice skating rink and have organized art and science classes for kids of a wide range of ages. We support one another with our “free tableâ€? to exchange items, an annual used curriculum sale, and more. We meet and welcome new members year-­round. For more information, see our website KWWSV SEFKRPHVFKRROHUVLQF VKXWWHUĂ \ FRP

TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

33

RUDI’S CREATIVE CORNER

RUDI’S Corner e v i t a re

C

I’M A POET, AND I KNOW IT... WAKING Everyday I wake up In the morning I feel the familiar sensation Painted over my face I reach for the sky and rub my eyes Say goodbye to dream surprise Goodbye to wizards casting spells Goodbye to elves, and wishing wells

BY CATHERYN

They fade away To the land of dreams

BY KALEB

As I travel to the land of day And no matter how hard I try I can’t erase That look upon my face From sunup to sundown I look in the mirror I can’t seem to frown A joyful blessing That sunny feeling Star shiny bright 0\ VPLOH WDNHV à LJKW BY SOLEIL DOERING, 11

WARRIOR MAMA Be prepared to be a warrior for the child

MARBLE PAINTING

BY BEN

BY ALEXA

Be strong in your beliefs that this path you have

BY NAKOA

taken is what feels organic and true to you

BY ALEXA CAPRI, 3 To submit your art, writing or photography email your contribution to info@thehomeeducator.net. ,PDJHV PXVW EH GSL UHVROXWLRQ SGI RU MSHJ ÀOH

34

SPRING 2014 . TheHomeEducator.net

Be ready to show this choice

“I am always amazed at the harmony that’s present among the homeschool community that I am so privileged to

Speak of this choice to even those who love you

be a part of-­HOME. Today we spent the day at Enchanted Forest with all of our children running & playing free. These

most

women & men are all so special—many, professionals in their own right (midwife, doula, entrepreneurs, behavioral

Many will feel foreign to these teachings

therapist, clinical social worker, professors, graphic designers, pharmaceutical doctor, drummer, singer, director, nurse,

they question

teachers, etc) & unbelievably, we still manage to educate & school our children. We are all sold out on the concept

For they are closed to it

and act of alternative schooling. We believe we have the power to educate our own children far beyond what any

But if they can be o.k. to trust in the natural child

system can do, even on the worst of days. Many of us cringe at the thought of institutionalizing them;Íž we want to create

ZLWKRXW VWDQGDUGV RU H[SHFWDWLRQ WKH\ ZLOO ÀQG KLP

independent thinkers-­-­out of the box—against stream;Íž develop their egos and core essence before they go out and

surprising

negotiate mainstream and all that it entails. And some of us are very interested in solidifying their faith without having

For without judgment he will exceed the

to defend or ameliorate our expression. We come from diverse walks of faith, religions, race, socio-­economic, political

expectation placed on his growing body

status, sexual orientations...But we all share a powerful truth—this is a hair raising (at times) experience, and most of us

and mind

HYHQ Ă LUW ZLWK WKH YLVLRQV RI VKLSSLQJ WKHP RII RQ WKH ELJ \HOORZ PDJLF VFKRRO EXV /2/ RQ WKH PRVW VWUHQXRXV RI GD\V

So that he may be a happy child

EXW ZH GRQ¡W LQVWHDG ZH EXLOG LQKDOH H[KDOH FUHDWH ERQG FU\ $OO DORQJ SUD\LQJ EHOLHYLQJ WKDW WKLV OLIH GHĂ€QLQJ

This is what all children deserve and our great

experience will grow all of us and develop in them impenetrable roots that will spread /broaden their territory;Íž and

opportunity to be a part of

ZKHQ LW¡V WLPH WR JRWKH\ ZLOO JR DV VWURQJ DV WKH\ FDQ EH ¾

MARIA, HOLLYWOOD

SAMBRA, NORTH MIAMI BEACH TheHomeEducator.net . SPRING 2014

35

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