American Homeschool Association

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

THE AMERICAN HOMESCHOOL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org
Produced quarterly, this issue dated January, 2002
Permission is granted to print, repost or forward this newsletter

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Several years ago, the American Homeschool Association's free
online newsletter was one of the first online publications to take
advantage of the power of the emailed word. Since the mid-1990's,
free online newsletters have proliferated like topsy (what is that
stuff, anyway?), so we were hesitant to recreate this one, wondering
if people really wanted still more reading material to keep them at
their little glowing screens. However, our goal as a service
organization is to provide information and resources about
homeschooling, and so, to that end, this newsletter provides access
some of the best.

William Shakespeare wrote "Brevity is the soul of wit," and we
do want to be witty, at least some of the time, so we'll keep this
introductory piece brief. This time, anyway. Enjoy!

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent
Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live
by Daniel H. Pink
http://www.freeagentnation.com/2book.html

This new book by a contributing editor of the business magazine
Fast Company includes some of the most interesting writing about
education we've read in many years. For example: "Compulsory mass
schooling is an aberration in both history and modern society. Yet it
was the ideal preparation for the Organization Man economy, a highly
structured world dominated by large, bureaucratic corporations that
routinized the workplace. Compulsory mass schooling equipped
generations of future factory workers and middle managers with the
basic skills and knowledge they needed on the job. The broader
lessons it conveyed were equally crucial. Kids learned how to obey
rules, follow orders, and respect authority -- and the penalties that
came with refusal."

Now remember that these words are not written by a rabblerousing
unschooler, but by a respected writer from a mainstream business
magazine. He continues: "We don't teach little kids how to talk or
walk or understand the world. We simply put them in nurturing
situations and let them learn on their own. Sure, we impose certain
restrictions. ("Don't walk in the middle of the street.") But we
don't go crazy. ("Please practice talking for 45 minutes until a bell
rings.") It's the same for home-schoolers. Kids can become agents of
their own education rather than merely recipients of someone else's
noble intentions."

To read an except from the book which was reprinted in Reason
Magazine's October issue, click here:
http://reason.com/0110/fe.dp.schools.shtml

To check out Daniel Pink's own website, which he calls "an
information hub for people working on their own," click this link:
http://www.freeagentnation.com/index.html

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

The Kingdom That Never Was: Inaccuracies in a Sociological Study of
Homeschooling
Taking Charge column, by Larry and Susan Kaseman
Home Education Magazine January/February, 2002

A recently published sociological study of homeschooling
contains serious misinformation that we homeschoolers need to
understand and be able to counter. We may not be able to prevent this
book from contributing to the mainstream media's and the academic
world's misunderstanding of homeschooling. But if we don't at least
respond to these ideas, misunderstanding of homeschooling will
increase. It's our responsibility as homeschoolers to correct
accounts like this because we are the ones who know the most and
because we will be most strongly affected by the inaccuracies and
misunderstandings. It is especially important that we work to prevent
the book from distorting the understanding that we and other
homeschoolers have of the history of homeschooling. If we don't
understand how we have regained and maintained our freedoms so far,
we are unlikely to understand how to continue to maintain them.

Read a critical review of the book "Kingdom of Children: Culture
and Controversy in the Homeschooling Movement," by Mitchell Stevens
(2001, Princeton University Press):
http://www.home-ed-magazine.com/HEM/191/jftch.html

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

John Holt's Growing Without Schooling is Gone
http://www.holtgws.com/gws.htm#STATUS

A page of homeschooling history has turned. An icon, an
institution, one of the founding documents of a movement, Growing
Without Schooling, known to thousands as simply GWS, ceased
publication in October. Citing insurmountable financial difficulties,
the staff wrote in their farewell message, "As we know you can
imagine, this was a very hard decision to make. On the one hand, we
look back at the 16 years since John Holt's death and realize how
significant it is that the magazine did keep publishing all that
time. On the other hand, we feel deep regret that it cannot continue
beyond this point."

A fascinating interview with GWS publisher Patrick Farenga was
published in the July/August 1997 issue of Home Education Magazine.
Patrick talks about John Holt, describing what he was like and why he
founded Growing Without Schooling in 1977: "What John wrote surprised
and rang true for many people and made him a celebrity, but it didn't
really change schools since he never had a 'good reputation' within
the schools. John was always an outsider, even when speaking to
schools. One of the reasons John could see how homeschooling could
work and embraced it so soon was that he was sick of talking about
changing schools when all that meant was creating 'better curricula'
and 'tougher standards.'"

Read the complete interview with GWS publisher Patrick Farenga,
from the July/August 1997 issue of Home Education Magazine:
http://www.home-ed-magazine.com/HEM/HEM144.97/144.97_art_ipf.html

Back issues of GWS are available from FUN Books:
http://www.fun-books.com/

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

History of Homeschooling

The AHA's History of Homeschooling series provides wide-ranging
perspective, by knowledgeable writers, on where we've been as a
homeschooling movement and where we're going in the future. A lengthy
collection of helpful and informative articles, columns, essays,
editorials, FAQs and other formats showcase the best writing on a
wide variety of topics, from sources all across the Internet. To
access, go to the AHA website's Information page and scroll down to
History of Homeschooling:
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org/info.html

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Interviews & Political Action

The American Homeschool Association web site includes links to
interviews with many homeschooling personalities, including Linda
Dobson, David Albert, Mary Griffith, Cafi Cohen, Patrick Farenga,
Marty Layne, Grace Llewellyn, and others. Also included is a
several-year collection of columns from Home Education Magazine by
Larry and Susan Kaseman, authors of "Taking Charge Through
Homeschooling: Personal and Political Empowerment" (1990, Koshkonong
Press), addressing issues such as Working for Homeschooling Freedoms,
Curfews, "Homeschooling" Programs in the Public Schools, User
Friendly Homeschooling Records, Tax Credits and Homeschooling,
Homeschoolers' Playing Public School Sports, the Question of
Credentials, the School-to-Work program, Homeschooling Legislation,
Doing the Minimum to Comply With Homeschooling Laws, and much more.
To check it out, click here:
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org/info.html

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

The winter issue of "Self-University Newsletter is posted at:
http://www.autodidactic.com/selfnews.htm

The theme of this edition is Education, Work, and Economic
Inequality. Books featured are:
"Good Work", by Howard Gardner, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi,
and William Damon
"Free Agent Nation", by Daniel H. Pink
"Next", by Michael Lewis
"The Working Life", by Joanne B. Ciulla
"White-Collar Sweatshop", by Jill Andresky Fraser
"Nickel and Dimed", by Barbara Ehrenreich
"Affluenza", by John De Graaf, David Wann, and Thomas H. Naylor
Thoughtful reviews and commentary, dedicated to furthering
education not as something you get but as something you take. Be sure
to check out the Essays for Independent Thinkers by author Charles D.
Hayes, lifelong learning advocate, a self-taught philosopher, and an
author and publisher.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Home Education Magazine
http://www.home-ed-magazine.com

The most widely respected magazine about homeschooling, published by
a second-generation homeschooling family since 1983. Winner of a
Parents' Choice Recommended Award. Best subscription prices are
usually found at the website - and many articles, services, a monthly
newsletter, a large support group network, information about laws &
regulations and much more are absolutely free. Jean Reed, author of
The Home School Source Book, writes: "If I had to choose only one
homeschooling magazine to read, it would be this one!"

Support the magazine that supports homeschooling families!

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

National Home Education Network
NHEN-Legislative email discussion list
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NHEN-Legislative/

The National Home Education Network's NHEN-Legislative email
discussion list is "for all homeschoolers interested in keeping up
with legal and legislative issues across the country." As such, many
issues of importance to homeschoolers are discussed, top news stories
affecting homeschooling are posted and analyzed, legal and
legislative affairs are tracked, and much, much more. The ongoing
exchange of opinions and commentary from the list's members offer
some of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking reading available
to homeschoolers. The last week of December, 2001 offered these posts
(grateful appreciation to those who granted permission to reprint
excerpts here):

Each of us can grow with every book we read and every discussion
we have. We develop understanding and perspective throughout our
lives -- that's what real education is all about! (This list is very
educational most of the time <g>) And as we grow and change, thank
goodness, our democratic republic lets us exercise freedom as we
choose at any given point in time, while allowing us to say any silly
thing we please but still protects us from each other's tyranny in
the process. Most importantly, it allows each of us to make our own
private decisions for ourselves and our families with some confidence
in the rule of law, and plenty of ways to redress grievances.
J.J. Ross, Ed.D., Homeschooling mom of two in Tallahassee, FL
http://www.parentdirectededucation.org

...There are lawyers out there that want to convey to the
general public that their minds are so much greater, and that the
average person is so stupid, they couldn't possibly understand plain
English. Perhaps the real motivation for this attitude is to make
un-Constitutional laws with as few as possible people squawking.
After all, if they are successful with convincing the general public
that it's too hard for them to understand so don't bother, look what
unscrupulous, power seeking, individuals can accomplish. My hope
still is for the general public to be more aware of what the
Constitution actually states, not what some justice wanted to twist
it into to fit their political leaning. The Constitution is the
foundation block for this country and it is straight forward and
clear.
asmith@..., Okanogan County, WA

No time to join another email list? The NHEN ADVOCACY REPORT
provides a monthly synopsis of the issues. To subscribe to The NHEN
Advocacy Report, send email to advocacy@... and put "Subscribe"
in the subject heading.

To subscribe to the NHEN-Legislative list via email, send an
email message to [email protected] (the
subject and body can be left blank)

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS

Looking for all the best new books - or time-honored old
favorites? Seeking science kits, arts & crafts supplies, music
lessons or used instruments at bargain prices? Wondering where to
find all the best unschooling websites? For a listing of our
recommended homeschooling resources send an email message to
AHA@... with the following in the
subject header: FREE Homeschooling Information and Resources

For a fast, easy, reliable way to find information about
anything you can imagine, check out our favorite searcher:
http://www.google.com We recommend using Google to find reviews and
information about anything homeschooling-related or not - simply
enter one or two associated words and click search.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

AHA FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about the American Homeschool Association

Who's behind the American Homeschool Association?
The publishers of Home Education Magazine founded the AHA in
1995, and have maintained it since that time as a free services
organization for homeschoolers, working online to provide
information, resources, networking opportunities and more.

How can we join your program?
The American Homeschool Association does not offer a program of
study, only free information and networking with homeschoolers
online. The name of the organization is similar to a well-known
correspondence program, The American School, but there is no
connection between the two.

Why don't you offer any publications or materials in print?
For the first few years of the AHA's existence we did provide a
published (print) newsletter, informational brochures, etc., but now
the Internet provides a much faster, more convenient, and totally
free way to do the work we want to do.

Does the American Homeschool Association hold a conference?
Over the years we have considered the idea of a national
conference from time to time, but with the formation of the National
Home Education Network in 1999 we tabled the idea indefinitely. If
enough interest is shown we might again consider the idea of hosting
a national get-together for homeschooling families. The best place
for exploring the possibilities if anyone is truly interested is on
the AHA-Discussion email list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-Discussion

Other Homeschooling FAQ's and Q&A's

The AHA website offers a collection of FAQ's (Frequently Asked
Questions) and Q&A's (Questions and Answers) from some of the best
homeschooling sites on the web, including the sites for Home
Education Magazine, the National Home Education Network,
Unschooling.com, Ann Zeise's A to Z Home's Cool, and Holt Associates.
Got a question? Check it out:
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org/info.html

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Thanks for Reading - Pass it Along!

We appreciate your taking time to read this newsletter and we
hope you'll recommend and/or forward it to your friends, support
group lists and other email lists. We're especially grateful when
people share our online journal beyond homeschooling circles, sending
it to parenting and educational resources where people might not
otherwise learn about homeschooling options. Why not forward it to
your favorite newsletter or magazine editor, your local librarian, or
the site content manager of your local parenting publication website?
The sole purpose of the American Homeschool Association is to promote
homeschooling - which we can do best with your help!

Permission is granted to print, repost or forward this newsletter.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

AMERICAN HOMESCHOOL ASSOCIATION
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org
For information contact: AHA@...

The American Homeschool Association (AHA), is a service
organization created in 1995 to network homeschoolers on a national
level and to provide news and information about homeschooling.
Current AHA services include a free online discussion list providing
news, information, networking, and resources; a free email
newsletter; an email discussion list for homeschoolers interested in
working with their local public libraries to promote homeschooling,
and a web site providing categorized links to the most helpful and
informative pages of homeschooling information on the Internet. The
AHA is a free services organization. There are no membership fees,
and no fees to use the services provided by the AHA.

* AHA Email Discussion List: For news, updates, information and support
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-Discussion

* AHA Email Discussion List: Libraries
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-LibraryList

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

To unsubscribe to this newsletter or to set preferences to read it at
the website:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AHA-Newsletter

The American Homeschool Association
http://www.americanhomeschoolassociation.org

Permission is granted to print, repost or forward this newsletter.

[end of file]