Shauna

Hello, My sister and her family (sons ages 12 and 15) have moved to Australia from california. Her older son in my mind as always been perfectly suited for unschooling or at least homeschooling, as I doubt for their family unschooling has ever been a real option. He's always been just a little out of the box and interested in all kinds of things sourdough bread, pearls, ukelele, surfing, film making come to mind immediately. I've always had a good relationship with my sister, and have always said, oh, just pull him out of school and let him follow these interests fully.
She's always been on the fence. Interested. watching what I do, but unwilling to really go over the edge. The other day she told me that she loved John Taylor Gatto, but no one she spoke to had ever heard of him...
Anyhow, I just give you that as a background.
They have moved to Sydney Australia (just last week), put the boys in school immediately (no summer vacation) , and the older one is miserable. Does anyone know any homeschool or unschool support in Australia? Like perhaps a Sudbury school? or a park day or a teen group? a way for teens to meet other teens that doesn't include regular school? I think if I knew of some resources there, pulling him out of school may be an option for them. I think the thing she worries most about is her older son's social life.
Anything anybody knows of near Sydney Australia?

Thanks

Jo Isaac

Hi Shauna,
I know of quite a few people in the Sydney and NSW area who are unschooling teens. There are a number of yahoo groups, and facebook groups, and also Natural Learning Australia forum, or you/your sister are welcome to contact me directly if she is interested (we are in South Australia though - but I can put her in contact with NSW people).

Cheers
Jo









To: [email protected]
From: shaunareisewitz@...
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:47:43 +0000
Subject: [AlwaysLearning] teen resources near Sydney Australia?





Hello, My sister and her family (sons ages 12 and 15) have moved to Australia from california. Her older son in my mind as always been perfectly suited for unschooling or at least homeschooling, as I doubt for their family unschooling has ever been a real option. He's always been just a little out of the box and interested in all kinds of things sourdough bread, pearls, ukelele, surfing, film making come to mind immediately. I've always had a good relationship with my sister, and have always said, oh, just pull him out of school and let him follow these interests fully.
She's always been on the fence. Interested. watching what I do, but unwilling to really go over the edge. The other day she told me that she loved John Taylor Gatto, but no one she spoke to had ever heard of him...
Anyhow, I just give you that as a background.
They have moved to Sydney Australia (just last week), put the boys in school immediately (no summer vacation) , and the older one is miserable. Does anyone know any homeschool or unschool support in Australia? Like perhaps a Sudbury school? or a park day or a teen group? a way for teens to meet other teens that doesn't include regular school? I think if I knew of some resources there, pulling him out of school may be an option for them. I think the thing she worries most about is her older son's social life.
Anything anybody knows of near Sydney Australia?

Thanks






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Sandra Dodd

-=-The other day she told me that she loved John Taylor Gatto, but no
one she spoke to had ever heard of him...-=-

His stuff is about American schools, and more specifically the schools
around NYC and New England. It's not even applicable to most of the
U.S, so it's not the best thing to try to share with Australians.

-=-Does anyone know any homeschool or unschool support in Australia?
Like perhaps a Sudbury school?-=-

From the point of view of families with kids in school, Sudbury
probably does look like unschooling.

For the purposes of this discussion, though, it's school.

I let the post through to make these points. Local questions (like
Australian contacts) aren't the purpose of this discussion, really. I
hope you find ideas, but any discussion of Australian particulars
needs to take place off list.

What DOES have to do with Australia and Always Learning is that next
fall (15 months from now, Fall 2013) Joyce Fetteroll and I are going
to see Schuyler Waynforth (who has just lately moved to Australia) and
will meet up with other Always Learning participants for some Always
Learning Live events. Brisband, Adelaide and maybe Canberra.

Sandra

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