Introduction & How the NEU Conference has changed me
cherapple
Hi, I'm Cheryl from upstate NY, mom to two daughters, Andrea (almost
12) and Jessa (9). We attended the NEU Conference last weekend (and
met Ren -- hi, Ren!). We've been unschooling/homeschooling for five
years, but this was our first time attending an unschooling
conference. If only I had attended a conference in the beginning!
A little bit of our history: We began homeschooling after checking out
the Albany Free School as an alternative to public school for our
older daughter when she was in first grade. I immediately loved the
concept of unschooling, and thought, "We can do this at home!" And so
we did. The first year we spent totally deschooling. The next year,
and the years following, I added curriculum. What grief I could have
saved myself and my family if I had seen more real, live RUing
families in action (as opposed to an RUing school)! We've met lots of
homeschoolers over the years, but the majority of them do school at
home. RU, however, is where my heart has always been. And now that
I've seen it in action with such intensity, and seen examples of so
many wonderful children, teenagers and unschooling families, I feel
set free in several ways!
Since the conference I've noticed that I no longer feel the need to
convince mainstream-minded people that our family is doing "school at
home." If they want to believe that, fine, but I won't lie and say
we're doing things we aren't. I feel more comfortable correcting
people (especially family) when they ask assumption-loaded questions.
And I let their shock or disapproving silence roll off my back.
I've also noticed that it no longer makes me so uncomfortable to be
around teachers or families who talk about nothing but school. I've
come to terms with the fact that I simply don't want that life for my
children. If others want it for theirs, that's fine, but I've grown
much more comfortable in my own shoes!
The conference has given me a picture of unschooling as a *normal* way
of living. It doesn't seem like such a freak alternative for weirdos
anymore. I've seen firsthand that there are plenty of families doing
it, and that they are some of the most amazing, interesting, open, and
warm people alive!
The girls were dreading the conference before we went, but they had a
blast and can't wait for the next one (we plan on attending Live and
Learn in the fall). To anyone who was at the NEUC -- thanks for being
so open and sharing with your lives. It was truly an unforgettable and
life altering experience.
Cheryl
12) and Jessa (9). We attended the NEU Conference last weekend (and
met Ren -- hi, Ren!). We've been unschooling/homeschooling for five
years, but this was our first time attending an unschooling
conference. If only I had attended a conference in the beginning!
A little bit of our history: We began homeschooling after checking out
the Albany Free School as an alternative to public school for our
older daughter when she was in first grade. I immediately loved the
concept of unschooling, and thought, "We can do this at home!" And so
we did. The first year we spent totally deschooling. The next year,
and the years following, I added curriculum. What grief I could have
saved myself and my family if I had seen more real, live RUing
families in action (as opposed to an RUing school)! We've met lots of
homeschoolers over the years, but the majority of them do school at
home. RU, however, is where my heart has always been. And now that
I've seen it in action with such intensity, and seen examples of so
many wonderful children, teenagers and unschooling families, I feel
set free in several ways!
Since the conference I've noticed that I no longer feel the need to
convince mainstream-minded people that our family is doing "school at
home." If they want to believe that, fine, but I won't lie and say
we're doing things we aren't. I feel more comfortable correcting
people (especially family) when they ask assumption-loaded questions.
And I let their shock or disapproving silence roll off my back.
I've also noticed that it no longer makes me so uncomfortable to be
around teachers or families who talk about nothing but school. I've
come to terms with the fact that I simply don't want that life for my
children. If others want it for theirs, that's fine, but I've grown
much more comfortable in my own shoes!
The conference has given me a picture of unschooling as a *normal* way
of living. It doesn't seem like such a freak alternative for weirdos
anymore. I've seen firsthand that there are plenty of families doing
it, and that they are some of the most amazing, interesting, open, and
warm people alive!
The girls were dreading the conference before we went, but they had a
blast and can't wait for the next one (we plan on attending Live and
Learn in the fall). To anyone who was at the NEUC -- thanks for being
so open and sharing with your lives. It was truly an unforgettable and
life altering experience.
Cheryl
[email protected]
WOW. Wow, wow, wow, WOW!
I'm so glad it made such a difference in your life.
It's amazing to see so many families LIVING this, isn't it?
I look forward to seeing you at Live and Learn in September!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
-----Original Message-----
From: cherapple <mosaicknits@...>
Hi, I'm Cheryl from upstate NY, mom to two daughters, Andrea (almost
12) and Jessa (9). We attended the NEU Conference last weekend (and
met Ren -- hi, Ren!). We've been unschooling/homeschooling for five
years, but this was our first time attending an unschooling
conference. If only I had attended a conference in the beginning!
A little bit of our history: We began homeschooling after checking out
the Albany Free School as an alternative to public school for our
older daughter when she was in first grade. I immediately loved the
concept of unschooling, and thought, "We can do this at home!" And so
we did. The first year we spent totally deschooling. The next year,
and the years following, I added curriculum. What grief I could have
saved myself and my family if I had seen more real, live RUing
families in action (as opposed to an RUing school)! We've met lots of
homeschoolers over the years, but the majority of them do school at
home. RU, however, is where my heart has always been. And now that
I've seen it in action with such intensity, and seen examples of so
many wonderful children, teenagers and unschooling families, I feel
set free in several ways!
Since the conference I've noticed that I no longer feel the need to
convince mainstream-minded people that our family is doing "school at
home." If they want to believe that, fine, but I won't lie and say
we're doing things we aren't. I feel more comfortable correcting
people (especially family) when they ask assumption-loaded questions.
And I let their shock or disapproving silence roll off my back.
I've also noticed that it no longer makes me so uncomfortable to be
around teachers or families who talk about nothing but school. I've
come to terms with the fact that I simply don't want that life for my
children. If others want it for theirs, that's fine, but I've grown
much more comfortable in my own shoes!
The conference has given me a picture of unschooling as a *normal* way
of living. It doesn't seem like such a freak alternative for weirdos
anymore. I've seen firsthand that there are plenty of families doing
it, and that they are some of the most amazing, interesting, open, and
warm people alive!
The girls were dreading the conference before we went, but they had a
blast and can't wait for the next one (we plan on attending Live and
Learn in the fall). To anyone who was at the NEUC -- thanks for being
so open and sharing with your lives. It was truly an unforgettable and
life altering experience.
Cheryl
I'm so glad it made such a difference in your life.
It's amazing to see so many families LIVING this, isn't it?
I look forward to seeing you at Live and Learn in September!
~Kelly
Kelly Lovejoy
Conference Coordinator
Live and Learn Unschooling Conference
http://www.LiveandLearnConference.org
-----Original Message-----
From: cherapple <mosaicknits@...>
Hi, I'm Cheryl from upstate NY, mom to two daughters, Andrea (almost
12) and Jessa (9). We attended the NEU Conference last weekend (and
met Ren -- hi, Ren!). We've been unschooling/homeschooling for five
years, but this was our first time attending an unschooling
conference. If only I had attended a conference in the beginning!
A little bit of our history: We began homeschooling after checking out
the Albany Free School as an alternative to public school for our
older daughter when she was in first grade. I immediately loved the
concept of unschooling, and thought, "We can do this at home!" And so
we did. The first year we spent totally deschooling. The next year,
and the years following, I added curriculum. What grief I could have
saved myself and my family if I had seen more real, live RUing
families in action (as opposed to an RUing school)! We've met lots of
homeschoolers over the years, but the majority of them do school at
home. RU, however, is where my heart has always been. And now that
I've seen it in action with such intensity, and seen examples of so
many wonderful children, teenagers and unschooling families, I feel
set free in several ways!
Since the conference I've noticed that I no longer feel the need to
convince mainstream-minded people that our family is doing "school at
home." If they want to believe that, fine, but I won't lie and say
we're doing things we aren't. I feel more comfortable correcting
people (especially family) when they ask assumption-loaded questions.
And I let their shock or disapproving silence roll off my back.
I've also noticed that it no longer makes me so uncomfortable to be
around teachers or families who talk about nothing but school. I've
come to terms with the fact that I simply don't want that life for my
children. If others want it for theirs, that's fine, but I've grown
much more comfortable in my own shoes!
The conference has given me a picture of unschooling as a *normal* way
of living. It doesn't seem like such a freak alternative for weirdos
anymore. I've seen firsthand that there are plenty of families doing
it, and that they are some of the most amazing, interesting, open, and
warm people alive!
The girls were dreading the conference before we went, but they had a
blast and can't wait for the next one (we plan on attending Live and
Learn in the fall). To anyone who was at the NEUC -- thanks for being
so open and sharing with your lives. It was truly an unforgettable and
life altering experience.
Cheryl