[email protected]

I've been stalling on a writing project, and would like for any of you who
are interested to look over my shoulder and maybe help me out, because I have
felt stuck on it. Here were some of my instructions. The topic is to
describe different styles of homeschooling. If you're interested, please
read this and then the draft of my section which is below the line (lower
down). (If you're not interested, sorry for the not-just-unschooling
post.)

Earlier I had this, but it was softened somewhat. (This was general to the
whole project mailing list:)

"The word length allowed for your section is 2000. In answer to your
questions, I did not get an attachment so I don’t know what tone you were
using. We were shooting for an authoritative tone, but not harsh or ‘know it
all’ in style. We really want to make sure that there are professional
references included, as the audience we are targeting is composed of people
that value research and such…"

[my draft is only 824 words, so there's room to beef up]

"I think the main thing to remember is that the audience may know nothing
about homeschooling, may be resistant to wanting to understand homeschooling,
and may actually be attempting to prosecute a homeschooling family. This
last point is the main way we anticipate the readers coming in contact with
the publication We want to make sure that this publication does one thing
very well: as simply as possible covers the basics, but at the same time
supports it in as many ways as possible with scholarly research and studies.
I anticipate that the audience will not understand homeschooling for several
reasons, but the one we need to make sure to keep in mind throughout the
project is that they probably need to get as much information as they can, as
quickly as they can, and as simply as they can. It can be a challenging way
to have to think while writing because it may seem so foreign...you may want
to consider it like drafting text for a school textbook on
homeschooling...sort of like you have a section of a chapter to write.

"We are walking a fine line because the targeted audience will have degrees
and feel like their opinions on homeschooling are correct (because of their
education), but many have a somewhat negative view of homeschooling....most
of which actually comes from lack of knowledge about it (in my opinion and
experience, at least). No educator is taught about homeschooling unless they
have gone to the most alternative of schools---and even then I have only seen
homeschooling briefly addressed in university curriculum. So, we need to
give it to them simply, and quickly, but with a strong infrastructure of
research and support wherever possible."

------------DRAFT by Sandra is below -----------------------------
(comments are welcome--please!!)

Methods of Homeschooling

Homeschooling methods cover the same range educational theory does, in that
some believe strongly in "the three R's" as the frontline of their efforts,
and others lean more toward deductive reasoning and "learning to learn."
This range of choices is a great advantage to homeschoolers, because each
family and each learner can eventually discover which method works best for
their personalities, learning styles, talents and needs.

The most structured homeschooling situation involves a purchased curriculum,
used on a school-style schedule. The oldest of these is The Calvert School,
purchased by the school year and by individual grade. Once for missionaries'
children and the bedridden, it comes with all necessary supplies, including
pencils. Two in current use are Abeka and Sonlight, both with a Protestant
Christian point of view. Seton is a popular Catholic curriculum. For older
students, The American School is sometimes employed. The same curriculum
once advertised on matchbook folders for returning GI's in the 1950's and
60's, it is one way to obtain a high school diploma. There are several other
curriculæ on the market as well as online courses.

Some families design their own curriculum, mixing and matching different
sources, perhaps using a purchased math series, but designing their own
literature courses and using a history overview such as The History of US, or
other such summaries. In this way the child goes at his own pace through
materials and the families supplements as interest and need dictate.


The advantage is that it looks like school. For many children that is also
the disadvantage, if school's methods are not suited to their learning style.
And another disadvantage is it takes learning designed for large groups and
applies it to one child, which is not usually an efficient use of time and
effort in a home environment.


A less linear and more intensive method is "unit studies." Units can be
purchased or downloaded from the internet, or easily designed by parents.
With unit studies, a subject such as "Japan" or "whales" is chosen, and the
student explores the history, geography, literature and science regarding the
topic, working in mathematics and writing about aspects of this study, in
order to simultaneously study a particular subject and exercise the various
disciplines the parent wishes to teach. With unit studies, art and music are
easily incorporated. Units typically last a week or two.

Thematic studies are common at many alternative schools of late. While
similar to unit studies, a theme such as "treasure" or "families" is the
focus of inquiry for a month or more, and are easy to adapt to a
homeschooling situation. Sometimes classic literature provides the base
theme, as advocated by Charlotte Mason's methods.

Both unit studies and thematic studies can be used with children of different
ages and abilities simultaneously, which is a great advantage to children
learning together without the limits of "grade levels" to the advantage of
all the learners and facilitators.


Some homeschoolers say they are using a "relaxed" or "eclectic" method, by
which they mean they are picking and choosing from the methods above as suits
each child's strengths and learning style. The flexibility of being able to
focus on the learner instead of the material itself is the greatest benefit
of homeschooling, and once the parents gain confidence in their child's
leaning, both child and parent can adapt learning to their everyday lives in
a way schools dream of doing, but homeschoolers can actually accomplish.

The ultimate dream of educators was once called "the open classroom." When
applied to homeschooling, it is also known as "natural learning,"
"interest-based learning" or for those who come to this method by the
writings of John Holt, "unschooling." This is similar to unit studies,
without having clearly delineated units. A child's interest in Mongol tribes
might last his whole life, with him coming back to that and building on it
whenever opportunity arises. If one has a fascination with flight, the
parents will encourage that as long as the interest is strong, and be willing
to drop it or return to it a month or two years later, while other interests
are interwoven, and parents learn to see the learning opportunities in both
special and common everyday activities, rather than separating "schooltime"
from living. With natural learning, summer and vacations are often the
richest learning seasons, and it doesn't matter what grade a child would be
in if he were in school. He learns every day.

The advantage is that an enriched life becomes the classroom and the
disadvantage is that outsiders find it harder to see the learning as it
happens. While this method rarely worked in public school settings, it can
work given the real world as the open classroom. With the state of the
internet, video information, and the easy availability of a quality and
quantity of excellently illustrated books never imagined thirty years ago,
the world is accessible to people as never before.

Betsy

**We were shooting for an authoritative tone, but not harsh or ‘know
it
all’ in style.**

That strikes me as impossible. I think your basic tone IS
authoritative, but some people will insist on perceiving it as harsh or
know-it-all. I don't see anyway to avoid that without wishy-washying it
all up.

(Unless you can get a very sensitive "canary" to play "harshness
detector" for you and tweak the word choices a tiny bit.)

**"I think the main thing to remember is that the audience may know
nothing
about homeschooling, may be resistant to wanting to understand
homeschooling,
and may actually be attempting to PROSECUTE a homeschooling family.**

That's scary! We want to explain the types of homeschooling so well
that prosecutors will know that a judge is more likely to "throw the
book" at unschoolers than at anyone else. Man, that would give me
writer's block!

<<quoting about unit and thematic studies>>
"which is a great advantage to children
learning together without the limits of "grade levels"
to the advantage of
all the learners and facilitators."

I would just say advantage to children of different ages learning
together and leave out your message about the pointlessness of grade
levels. I think it will be clearer to the intended audience. Otherwise
you are trying to make two points in the same sentence. (Let's not make
it too tough on them. <g>)

**The advantage is that an enriched life becomes the classroom and the
disadvantage is that outsiders find it harder to see the learning as it
happens.**

I would say something about this type of learning having a different
scope and a different sequence than a state defined course of study.
(Unless you'd rather they not realize that.)

**The ultimate dream of educators was once called "the open classroom."**

I don't know if this is going to resonate with people who are currently
attending or recently graduated from teacher certification programs.
It's pretty dated. Wrapping your arguments up in the very latest shiny
buzzwords might be helpful. (I'll try to think of some.)

Betsy

PS (I'm not sure that *I* have the background knowledge to understand
the difference between designing one's own curriculum and being
eclectic. Maybe we could talk about that a little here on the list.
Perhaps we don't all define it in the same way? Most everyone I know
IRL is somewhere in the relaxed, eclectic, do-it-yourself category. But
it's darned hard to make the labels stick.)

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/03 10:15:08 AM, ecsamhill@... writes:

<< I would just say advantage to children of different ages learning

together and leave out your message about the pointlessness of grade

levels. >>

Good. Thanks.

<<Otherwise

you are trying to make two points in the same sentence. >>

usually. <g>

<<**The advantage is that an enriched life becomes the classroom and the

disadvantage is that outsiders find it harder to see the learning as it

happens.**


<<I would say something about this type of learning having a different

scope and a different sequence than a state defined course of study.

(Unless you'd rather they not realize that.)>>

Right, but you would be wanting someone to understand unschooling and I'm
wanting the Jedi-mind-trick them right past it.

I think it's illegal to have a different scope and sequence than the state
defines. (I know it is, even in New Mexico.)

<<**The ultimate dream of educators was once called "the open classroom."**


<<I don't know if this is going to resonate with people who are currently

attending or recently graduated from teacher certification programs.

It's pretty dated. Wrapping your arguments up in the very latest shiny

buzzwords might be helpful. (I'll try to think of some.)>>

True.
There ARE young ignorant lawyers.
But are there young ignorant judges?? <bwg>

Sandra

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/2003 12:33:56 PM Eastern Standard Time,
SandraDodd@... writes:
> I think it's illegal to have a different scope and sequence than the state
> defines. (I know it is, even in New Mexico.)
>
>
WOW! There's something ILLEGAL in New Mexico?

~Kelly <g>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Pam Hartley

Sandra, I don't see a problem with the tone at all -- if you soften it much,
IMHO these people who are filled with their own self-importance :) are going
to think you're apologizing for homeschooling and dismiss what you're saying
entirely.

It is missing (and I'm sure this is what you're planning to add at the end
or in footnotes or whatever) the reference material for "back up" -- Holt's
books, website links, etc. as well as your own credentials.

I do like the progression from most structured to least.

Pam

----------
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] another request for help (more fun, maybe)
Date: Sun, Jan 12, 2003, 5:08 AM


I've been stalling on a writing project, and would like for any of you who
are interested to look over my shoulder and maybe help me out, because I
have
felt stuck on it.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/03 10:44:45 AM, kbcdlovejo@... writes:

<< WOW! There's something ILLEGAL in New Mexico? >>

Barely.

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/03 10:44:54 AM, pamhartley@... writes:

<< It is missing (and I'm sure this is what you're planning to add at the end
or in footnotes or whatever) the reference material for "back up" -- Holt's
books, website links, etc. as well as your own credentials. >>

If I put references on that what the HECK will I use for references on
structure!? It's based on thousands of little spurious widgety bits of
people's PhD thesis research, most of which was correlation with no proof of
cause, the filtered through what textbook companies think will sell.

That makes me think maybe I'm getting hives.

I can hardly stand to have written a supportive paragraph about unit
studies!!!!

Sandra

Pam Hartley

www.calvert.com? <g,d,r>

Pam, who wouldn't want the task, believe me.

----------
>From: SandraDodd@...
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: Re: [AlwaysLearning] another request for help (more fun, maybe)
>Date: Sun, Jan 12, 2003, 10:11 AM
>

>
> In a message dated 1/12/03 10:44:54 AM, pamhartley@... writes:
>
> << It is missing (and I'm sure this is what you're planning to add at the end
> or in footnotes or whatever) the reference material for "back up" -- Holt's
> books, website links, etc. as well as your own credentials. >>
>
> If I put references on that what the HECK will I use for references on
> structure!? It's based on thousands of little spurious widgety bits of
> people's PhD thesis research, most of which was correlation with no proof of
> cause, the filtered through what textbook companies think will sell.
>
> That makes me think maybe I'm getting hives.
>
> I can hardly stand to have written a supportive paragraph about unit
> studies!!!!
>
> Sandra
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>

Betsy

**<<I would say something about this type of learning having a different

scope and a different sequence than a state defined course of study.

(Unless you'd rather they not realize that.)>>

Right, but you would be wanting someone to understand unschooling and
I'm
wanting the Jedi-mind-trick them right past it.

I think it's illegal to have a different scope and sequence than the
state
defines. (I know it is, even in New Mexico.)
**

Doh! The urge to explain things clearly is strong in this one. <g>

Betsy

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema

It doesn't read academically enough for me, but I'm not sure that's what
you're striving for, so...

When it comes to needing footnotes and references, you can always do it the
old college-trick way! We used to get as many books on the subject as we
could lay our hands on, leaf through them and write all our footnotes FIRST
(so it was chock-a-block-full!), re-arrange them to 'flow' then finish by
writing 'filler' sentences to pull the reader from one footnote to another.

We used to joke about who could get the highest number of footnotes on one
double-spaced page. Of course, the professors loved it because it looked
like you worked really hard finding notes to fit your thesis, when all you
did was find some good notes and base the paper on them.

...and you will be editing what you wrote for grammatical purposes,
right? I mean, you're in the brainstorming part of writing now, eh?

If you're looking for reasons homeschooling is 'good' for society, or
answers a need, start quoting business books (like The Future of Success by
Robert B. Reich, where he says, "We are entering the Age of the Terrific
Deal, where choices are almost limitless...And who doesn't want a better
deal? Only the indolent, insane or congenitally complacent would pass up a
product that's obviously better or cheaper, an investment with higher
return...You owe it to yourself, your family. You owe it to
capitalism. The system works only if people are pushing for the best
deals. Otherwise, producers fail to innovate or invest... When millions
of people are constantly seeking something better...all resources are put
to their best uses. People work hard. Economies surge forward. This has
long been the American way." (pg 13) Then follow up with some commentary
on how the educational system will be as effective as the economic system,
so long as there are people constantly seeking something better for their
families, working hard, surging forward (and now you're going to tell them
how varied families are working hard and surging forward trying new
methodologies all for the benefit of the American public and the American
Way... (Heidi leans away to politely regurgitate.) Shoot, you could
probably quote some Aristotle for good measure... He's impressive.

I'd also do some relating on how current homeschool philosophies are
similar to those of our founding fathers, etc. If someone wants to attack
homeschooling, make sure they know they're attacking "Amurika" in all her
technicolor glory!

But again, I'm not sure what angle you're writing from/in, so....
Heidi

Kimberlie King-Patraw

Not in Nevada, We rewrote the NAC's to stop refering to the states
scope and sequence, and now homeschooler have report the "kind and
amount of equivalent instruction ". We were thinking of unschooler when
we legally had this wording changed just this past Dec. It probably
helped that 4 of the committe member writing this were unschoolers:)
We still have a long ways to go to make homeschooling regulations the
least restrictive here. I feel like we are chipping at a marble, and
haven't made a dent yet, but we did scratch the surface.
Kime

> In a message dated 1/12/2003 12:33:56 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> SandraDodd@... writes:
> > I think it's illegal to have a different scope and sequence than the
> state
> > defines. (I know it is, even in New Mexico.)
> >
> >
> WOW! There's something ILLEGAL in New Mexico?
>
> ~Kelly <g>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/12/03 7:16:09 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ecsamhill@... writes:

> Doh! The urge to explain things clearly is strong in this one. <g>
>
> Betsy
>
>

Yoda Simpson?
*~*Elissa Jill*~*
unschooling Momma to 3 beautiful brilliant people
Loving partner for life to Joey
terrible guitarist, fair singer and happy woman.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Betsy

**If you're looking for reasons homeschooling is 'good' for society, or
answers a need, start quoting business books (like The Future of Success
by
Robert B. Reich, where he says, "We are entering the Age of the Terrific
Deal, where choices are almost limitless...And who doesn't want a better
deal? Only the indolent, insane or congenitally complacent would pass
up a
product that's obviously better or cheaper, an investment with higher
return...You owe it to yourself, your family. You owe it to
capitalism. The system works only if people are pushing for the best
deals. Otherwise, producers fail to innovate or invest... When
millions
of people are constantly seeking something better...all resources are
put
to their best uses. People work hard. Economies surge forward. This
has
long been the American way." (pg 13) **

This would be great, and ironic, because Reich wrote a long "white
paper" about the threat of homeschooling and why the government had a
vested interest in regulating it. So, yeah, use his words to support
homeschooling. That'll teach him. <g>

Betsy

[email protected]

<<This would be great, and ironic, because Reich wrote a long "white
paper" about the threat of homeschooling and why the government had a
vested interest in regulating it. So, yeah, use his words to support
homeschooling. That'll teach him. <g>>>


Nah, that was a different Reich. That one was an idiot.

Tuck

[email protected]

In a message dated 1/13/03 11:10:09 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Tuckervill@... writes:

> Nah, that was a different Reich. That one was an idiot.
>
> Tuck
>
>
>
He must have written the Idiot's Guide to Public Schooling!

*~*Elissa Jill*~*
unschooling Momma to 3 beautiful brilliant people
Loving partner for life to Joey
terrible guitarist, fair singer and happy woman.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mara Winders

Gotta love it!

Mara

Betsy wrote:

>
>
> **If you're looking for reasons homeschooling is 'good' for society, or
> answers a need, start quoting business books (like The Future of Success
> by
> Robert B. Reich, where he says, "We are entering the Age of the Terrific
> Deal, where choices are almost limitless...And who doesn't want a better
> deal? Only the indolent, insane or congenitally complacent would pass
> up a
> product that's obviously better or cheaper, an investment with higher
> return...You owe it to yourself, your family. You owe it to
> capitalism. The system works only if people are pushing for the best
> deals. Otherwise, producers fail to innovate or invest... When
> millions
> of people are constantly seeking something better...all resources are
> put
> to their best uses. People work hard. Economies surge forward. This
> has
> long been the American way." (pg 13) **
>
> This would be great, and ironic, because Reich wrote a long "white
> paper" about the threat of homeschooling and why the government had a
> vested interest in regulating it. So, yeah, use his words to support
> homeschooling. That'll teach him. <g>
>
> Betsy
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> [email protected]
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]