Unschooling conferences and teenagers
Bob Collier
I was asked today by one of the organisers of the inaugural "Australian Unschooling Retreat/Conference" in September if I could suggest anything to help them attract more teenagers to the event. Since I've never attended an unschooling conference, I had no idea.
What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?
Bob
What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?
Bob
k
Other teens and things like dances.
On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 8:57 AM, Bob Collier
<bobcollier@...> wrote:
On Mon, Jun 28, 2010 at 8:57 AM, Bob Collier
<bobcollier@...> wrote:
> I was asked today by one of the organisers of the inaugural "Australian Unschooling Retreat/Conference" in September if I could suggest anything to help them attract more teenagers to the event. Since I've never attended an unschooling conference, I had no idea.
>
> What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?
>
> Bob
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
Ed Wendell
Well for the teen (16) in this house - NOT dances ;) ever!
I would say opportunities to be with whomever he wants to be - NOT segerated into teen activities. Opportunities to mingle and talk with everyone.
Opportunities to game together possibly - board games and electronic - but again not just teens.
Lisa W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I would say opportunities to be with whomever he wants to be - NOT segerated into teen activities. Opportunities to mingle and talk with everyone.
Opportunities to game together possibly - board games and electronic - but again not just teens.
Lisa W.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-I was asked today by one of the organisers of the inaugural
"Australian Unschooling Retreat/Conference" in September if I could
suggest anything to help them attract more teenagers to the event.
Since I've never attended an unschooling conference, I had no idea.
-=-What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?-=--
Other teenagers.
But I would advise against trying to attract teenagers just for the
sake of having teens there.
One of the worst things about conferences can be the presence and
influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
learned in school.
Encourage families to come. Encourage families with teens to bring
them. But don't encourage teens alone. The problems could outweigh
the benefits, I think. And liabilities (legal, moral) would be a
bringdown to the overall burden of the organizers and site owners, too.
If most of the families there have younger kids, that's the current
reality. If some have older kids, maybe specifically inviting those
families and asking various members of the family to run workshops
would be a way to persuade them to come. Subsidizing travel for
families wanting to be there (to gain their teens' presence) would
help too.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
"Australian Unschooling Retreat/Conference" in September if I could
suggest anything to help them attract more teenagers to the event.
Since I've never attended an unschooling conference, I had no idea.
-=-What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?-=--
Other teenagers.
But I would advise against trying to attract teenagers just for the
sake of having teens there.
One of the worst things about conferences can be the presence and
influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
learned in school.
Encourage families to come. Encourage families with teens to bring
them. But don't encourage teens alone. The problems could outweigh
the benefits, I think. And liabilities (legal, moral) would be a
bringdown to the overall burden of the organizers and site owners, too.
If most of the families there have younger kids, that's the current
reality. If some have older kids, maybe specifically inviting those
families and asking various members of the family to run workshops
would be a way to persuade them to come. Subsidizing travel for
families wanting to be there (to gain their teens' presence) would
help too.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Robin Bentley
>The biggest draw for my teen is being with her friends (some of whom
> What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?
she met at previous conferences).
Senna likes the dances okay, but she loves sharing her passions
(Pokemon, World of Warcraft). She's hosted a funshop or two for the
last 3 years at Life is Good. She also enjoys performing at the talent
shows.
Some teens love little kids (and extra $$), so can't wait to babysit.
Jenny C's daughter does zombie makeup for anyone who asks. Some want
to sell their handmade items at an "Untrepreneurial" table.
I think teens have as many reasons to come to a conference as adults
do <g>.
Robin B.
Pam Sorooshian
> -=-What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?-=--The HSC Conference in Sacrament in August is in its 20th year and always
has a very very large number of unschooled teens.
Most of the fun workshops are open to all ages - but there are workshops
intended specifically for teens such as discussions of controversial
issues. We have a group of 25 teens who meet throughout the year and
come up with a lot of their own ideas and sessions. They plan and
organize the themed dances every night - and that's a big draw for some
kids, but not for all. My kids always visit the dances just a bit, but
don't get into them much.
If you look at this list and just scroll through it, check the ones that
say "teen." Teens are also welcome at all the other sessions, too.
There are also things like the art deck (a deck overlooking the lake
with big tables of art supplies available) and the game deck (lots of
yu-gi-oh and magic, the gathering, and other game playing going on there
at all times). There is a papercraft salon - a room dedicated to
papercrafts like ATCs and more and a fiber-crafts salon. There is also
the super popular "swap-o-rama-rama" -- piles and piles of used clothing
and accessories like ribbons and beads. The teens LOVE this - everybody
picks out clothing and embellishes it. There are people will sewing
machines and supplies and expertise to help us create what we can imagine.
http://www.hscconference.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/hsc2010workshops.pdf
-pam
lylaw
my teen enjoys having a voice on the teen panel, which is always very inspiring and fascinating! this year at Life is Good, there were probably 12 or more teens up there, answering questions from the audience.
she also loves seeing people she only gets to see at conferences and just having a weekend of floating, and socializing, and hanging out with mixed ages, all in a happy, relaxed, unschooling setting.
lyla
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
she also loves seeing people she only gets to see at conferences and just having a weekend of floating, and socializing, and hanging out with mixed ages, all in a happy, relaxed, unschooling setting.
lyla
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jenny Cyphers
***What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?***
I laughed when I read that because my experience is that what attracts teenagers to anything is OTHER teenagers! Music, dancing, hanging out, video games, all those things might attract more teens.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I laughed when I read that because my experience is that what attracts teenagers to anything is OTHER teenagers! Music, dancing, hanging out, video games, all those things might attract more teens.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jenny Cyphers
***One of the worst things about conferences can be the presence and
influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
learned in school.***
Yes, I've seen that! Other families may not know this and assume this is what unschooled teens are like. That part of a conference is hard. It happens with other aged kids too, not just teens, it's just that the teens are more visible.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
learned in school.***
Yes, I've seen that! Other families may not know this and assume this is what unschooled teens are like. That part of a conference is hard. It happens with other aged kids too, not just teens, it's just that the teens are more visible.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
C Johnson
"Subsidizing travel for
families wanting to be there (to gain their teens' presence) would
help too."
Does anyone know if any of the conferences subsidize travel or give a discount for anything?
BB,
Chrissie
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families wanting to be there (to gain their teens' presence) would
help too."
Does anyone know if any of the conferences subsidize travel or give a discount for anything?
BB,
Chrissie
"All you have to decide is what to do with the time you have been given." Gandalf
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Sandra Dodd
-=-Does anyone know if any of the conferences subsidize travel or give
a discount for anything?-=-
What I meant was if a conference wants to attract teens, maybe they
could invite some as speakers, or give them a free room, or something.
Some ongoing conferences have a scholarship fund people can apply for,
but it probably only covers the registration. Some conferences offer
something for working at the registration table or selling books or
some such.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
a discount for anything?-=-
What I meant was if a conference wants to attract teens, maybe they
could invite some as speakers, or give them a free room, or something.
Some ongoing conferences have a scholarship fund people can apply for,
but it probably only covers the registration. Some conferences offer
something for working at the registration table or selling books or
some such.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
dphock
> ***One of the worst things about conferences can be the presence andI am the mom of a 14 year old daughter who has only been unschooled for about a half a year. She's had some difficult issues with school, which is why we arrived at unschooling. I was thinking that it'd be great to take her to the homeschooling conference in Sacramento in August, mainly to see that other teens are experiencing alternative learning lives. But this makes me feel like kids like mine aren't welcome, and will only be seen as a bad influence on the "pure" unschooled kids.
> influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
> and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
> learned in school.***
I'm not sure about the conference now -- is this sort of view of teens who are recently arrived at unschooling pretty typical?
Dismayed,
Diane
lylaw
diane, my daughter was like your daughter 2 years ago. actually, three Life is Good conferences ago, she was still in school (but her brother was unschooling), and she came to the conference with me. that year she spent most of her time with our old (always unschooled) friends who were in WA from CA for the conference and didn't branch out much. the next year, she came after having been unschooling for only about 7 months, and she dove right in and made connections. she was still deschooling heavily, and struggling with a lot of leftover issues from her school experiences, as well as from some other things going on in her life, but she was welcomed into the large group of teens, and went home with email and IM and facebook connections and a whole new outlook on life. then she went to HSC in sacramento, and met a bunch of new people, and then "not back to school camp" and reconnected with many of the same people she had met at the conferences.
she was accepted just as she was, with all her struggles and issues, and as she's worked through those and found her confidence and self-hood through unschooling, she's been embraced at each stage of that process.
I think it can be tricky if a schooled kid is teasing, excluding, or being overtly judgmental of the teens at a conference, but if your daughter is at all open or curious, I think she will find friendly and accepting teens at conferences.
I will be at hsc with my daughter (15) - introduce yourself!
warmly, lyla
From: dphock
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 8:01 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Re: Unschooling conferences and teenagers
I'm not sure about the conference now -- is this sort of view of teens who are recently arrived at unschooling pretty typical?
Dismayed,
Diane
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
she was accepted just as she was, with all her struggles and issues, and as she's worked through those and found her confidence and self-hood through unschooling, she's been embraced at each stage of that process.
I think it can be tricky if a schooled kid is teasing, excluding, or being overtly judgmental of the teens at a conference, but if your daughter is at all open or curious, I think she will find friendly and accepting teens at conferences.
I will be at hsc with my daughter (15) - introduce yourself!
warmly, lyla
From: dphock
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 8:01 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] Re: Unschooling conferences and teenagers
> ***One of the worst things about conferences can be the presence andI am the mom of a 14 year old daughter who has only been unschooled for about a half a year. She's had some difficult issues with school, which is why we arrived at unschooling. I was thinking that it'd be great to take her to the homeschooling conference in Sacramento in August, mainly to see that other teens are experiencing alternative learning lives. But this makes me feel like kids like mine aren't welcome, and will only be seen as a bad influence on the "pure" unschooled kids.
> influence of schooled kids who have just lately become unschoolers
> and still have the bad habits and disdain and avoidance patterns
> learned in school.***
I'm not sure about the conference now -- is this sort of view of teens who are recently arrived at unschooling pretty typical?
Dismayed,
Diane
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=- is this sort of view of teens who are recently arrived at
unschooling pretty typical?-=-
What I said is that it can be a problem. The question involved a
conference in Australia where there hasn't been such a gathering, and
the question of how to attract teens. I don't think setting out to
attract just any old teens would be a good idea in that situation. If
there aren't a majority of experienced unschooling teens, it could be
a problem.
At HSC there are MANY longtime unschoolers, and it's a large
established conference. Very different situation.
I hope your daughter wants to attend. Some of the kids I've seen
cause problems in the past were there reluctantly. the parents wanted
to go, but the kids didn't really want to. That could happen in
Australia, if they press too much to get teens there.
-=-. I was thinking that it'd be great to take her to the
homeschooling conference in Sacramento in August, mainly to see that
other teens are experiencing alternative learning lives. But this
makes me feel like kids like mine aren't welcome,-=-
I don't think you want me to give lame, guarded or insincere advice to
soothe the feelings of every person on the list.
If your daughter wanted to leave school, wants to unschool and wants
to go to the conference, I don't think there will be a problem. But
what I think only matters in discussions on this yahoo group, anyway.
It's not my conference.
I've been at over three dozen conferences. I know of problems with
teens at three of them. There might have been others I didn't attend.
I didn't say "is always" a problem. I said "can be."
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
unschooling pretty typical?-=-
What I said is that it can be a problem. The question involved a
conference in Australia where there hasn't been such a gathering, and
the question of how to attract teens. I don't think setting out to
attract just any old teens would be a good idea in that situation. If
there aren't a majority of experienced unschooling teens, it could be
a problem.
At HSC there are MANY longtime unschoolers, and it's a large
established conference. Very different situation.
I hope your daughter wants to attend. Some of the kids I've seen
cause problems in the past were there reluctantly. the parents wanted
to go, but the kids didn't really want to. That could happen in
Australia, if they press too much to get teens there.
-=-. I was thinking that it'd be great to take her to the
homeschooling conference in Sacramento in August, mainly to see that
other teens are experiencing alternative learning lives. But this
makes me feel like kids like mine aren't welcome,-=-
I don't think you want me to give lame, guarded or insincere advice to
soothe the feelings of every person on the list.
If your daughter wanted to leave school, wants to unschool and wants
to go to the conference, I don't think there will be a problem. But
what I think only matters in discussions on this yahoo group, anyway.
It's not my conference.
I've been at over three dozen conferences. I know of problems with
teens at three of them. There might have been others I didn't attend.
I didn't say "is always" a problem. I said "can be."
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pam Sorooshian
On 6/28/2010 8:01 PM, dphock wrote:
of teens - more than a hundred, maybe double that, I don't really know,
and it is a really good first conference because there are more
organized activities for teens than at other conferences and so it is
easier for new teens to find things to do and meet people, etc.
One thing to consider is that the teens have tremendous freedom - it
isn't like school where adults are herding them around and keeping an
eye on them. They go where they want and do what they want. We trust
them not to do crazy or stupid things. Sometimes a kid can't handle that
kind of freedom without taking advantage of it by behaving
irresponsibly. I don't think that problem is limited to schooled kids
even though they are more prone to it.
I often suggest people bring their teens to the HSC Conference when
they've just started unschooling. I think it is very inspiring for the
teens and super supportive for them to discover all this big crowd of
other unschoolers.
The bigger problem that I see is that it appears to new teens like
everybody else already knows each other and it can seem really hard to
sort of break in to a new group. Lots of these kids have been going to
conference since they were little and they get very excited to see each
other and they don't think about the new kids. It is important to go to
the opening activities where there are ice-breakers and stuff like that,
if you're new.
By the way, I'm on the HSC Board of Directors and have been to 15 HSC
conferences plus more than a dozen other conferences.
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> I am the mom of a 14 year old daughter who has only been unschooledShe will be fully welcome at the HSC Conference. There are a whole lot
> for about a half a year. She's had some difficult issues with school,
> which is why we arrived at unschooling.
of teens - more than a hundred, maybe double that, I don't really know,
and it is a really good first conference because there are more
organized activities for teens than at other conferences and so it is
easier for new teens to find things to do and meet people, etc.
One thing to consider is that the teens have tremendous freedom - it
isn't like school where adults are herding them around and keeping an
eye on them. They go where they want and do what they want. We trust
them not to do crazy or stupid things. Sometimes a kid can't handle that
kind of freedom without taking advantage of it by behaving
irresponsibly. I don't think that problem is limited to schooled kids
even though they are more prone to it.
I often suggest people bring their teens to the HSC Conference when
they've just started unschooling. I think it is very inspiring for the
teens and super supportive for them to discover all this big crowd of
other unschoolers.
The bigger problem that I see is that it appears to new teens like
everybody else already knows each other and it can seem really hard to
sort of break in to a new group. Lots of these kids have been going to
conference since they were little and they get very excited to see each
other and they don't think about the new kids. It is important to go to
the opening activities where there are ice-breakers and stuff like that,
if you're new.
By the way, I'm on the HSC Board of Directors and have been to 15 HSC
conferences plus more than a dozen other conferences.
-pam
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Jenny Cyphers
***I'm not sure about the conference now -- is this sort of view of teens
who are recently arrived at unschooling pretty typical?***
Conferences are great for new to unschooling teens. They get a feel of how that feels, what other unschooled teens are like and with the added bonus of meeting new people that could possibly be free to hang out after the conference.
Be with your daughter and be her friend during the conference, help her find peace while there. What happens sometimes, is that newer to unschooling parents will kind of let their kids go and do and be without much feedback and interaction. That's really typical of what schooled parents do with their schooled kids, there is a disconnect between parent and child, something that isn't the case with unschooled kids that haven't just been pulled out of school. Perhaps, think of the conference as something, a thing, that you can bond together with your kid.
If that's not the case for you and your teen, then go and have fun and be present and be her friend as needed. If there is a disconnect, like what is so typical, be even more aware of that and help to head of trouble as needed while still allowing for a bit of freedom. The social dynamics of unschooled teens is so very different than that of schooled teens. For the most part, unschooled teens are much more accepting of each other, even if they aren't best buddies.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
who are recently arrived at unschooling pretty typical?***
Conferences are great for new to unschooling teens. They get a feel of how that feels, what other unschooled teens are like and with the added bonus of meeting new people that could possibly be free to hang out after the conference.
Be with your daughter and be her friend during the conference, help her find peace while there. What happens sometimes, is that newer to unschooling parents will kind of let their kids go and do and be without much feedback and interaction. That's really typical of what schooled parents do with their schooled kids, there is a disconnect between parent and child, something that isn't the case with unschooled kids that haven't just been pulled out of school. Perhaps, think of the conference as something, a thing, that you can bond together with your kid.
If that's not the case for you and your teen, then go and have fun and be present and be her friend as needed. If there is a disconnect, like what is so typical, be even more aware of that and help to head of trouble as needed while still allowing for a bit of freedom. The social dynamics of unschooled teens is so very different than that of schooled teens. For the most part, unschooled teens are much more accepting of each other, even if they aren't best buddies.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
sandralynndodd
--- In [email protected], "Bob Collier" <bobcollier@...> wrote:
I forgot to mention this. It's not a conference, it's a retreat at a camp, with cabins and camping, but it was organized by a teen and specifies that it's open to families or to individual teens/young adults:
http://smugunschoolersgathering.blogspot.com/
It's also currently in progress. Holly's there, with Bea and her girls. Maybe on the weekend or next week someone who was there will be able to advise you, Bob, so you can pass that on if it's applicable to your conference site/theme/plans.
>----------------------------
> I was asked today by one of the organisers of the inaugural "Australian Unschooling Retreat/Conference" in September if I could suggest anything to help them attract more teenagers to the event. Since I've never attended an unschooling conference, I had no idea.
>
> What usually attracts teenagers to unschooling conferences?
I forgot to mention this. It's not a conference, it's a retreat at a camp, with cabins and camping, but it was organized by a teen and specifies that it's open to families or to individual teens/young adults:
http://smugunschoolersgathering.blogspot.com/
It's also currently in progress. Holly's there, with Bea and her girls. Maybe on the weekend or next week someone who was there will be able to advise you, Bob, so you can pass that on if it's applicable to your conference site/theme/plans.
Bob Collier
--- In [email protected], "sandralynndodd" <Sandra@...> wrote:
I forgot to mention that my own teenager isn't remotely interested in going, which didn't help. But I'll pass on something that I hope will be helpful. :-)
Thanks again!
Bob
>Great, thank you. Thank you everybody for your ideas and advice. I appreciate it.
> I forgot to mention this. It's not a conference, it's a retreat at a camp, with cabins and camping, but it was organized by a teen and specifies that it's open to families or to individual teens/young adults:
>
> http://smugunschoolersgathering.blogspot.com/
>
> It's also currently in progress. Holly's there, with Bea and her girls. Maybe on the weekend or next week someone who was there will be able to advise you, Bob, so you can pass that on if it's applicable to your conference site/theme/plans.
>
I forgot to mention that my own teenager isn't remotely interested in going, which didn't help. But I'll pass on something that I hope will be helpful. :-)
Thanks again!
Bob