Intro, conferences and becoming an unschooler
Alicia Knight
Hi All! Tammy & Alaura -- Sorry it's taken me all week to get back to
you. I've been involved in early childhood ed for the past 10 years.
The first two I worked for a parks and rec dept. as a children's
program instructor and coordinator. When we moved to Virginia 8 years
ago, I began my family child care business. I enjoy the freedom of
setting up and running my own program, plus it allows me to be at home
with my two children.
Tammy, I saw your post about the disappointing homeschooling
conference. I helped organize the VHEA conference that Alaura referred
to on the unschooling list. VHEA is inclusive though I think most
people who are involved with VHEA are either eclectic, relaxed, or
completely unschool. There are some who are more structured, but the
structured folks I've met at VHEA seem less rigid than the hs'ers I've
met who go to the HEAV conference. (How's that for a sweeping
generalization?)
The South Carolina conference looks like a lot of fun -- and very
well-organized too, Kelly. I can see all the work you've put into it
just by looking at the website. Perhaps the finance fairy will pay me
beneficial visit so we can attend. (We've already blown our conference
attendance budget for the year.)
One friend of mine referred to unschooling as a spectrum -- and we're
all at various stages along the spectrum. It seems eclectic is the
catch-all category. I've met many structured homeschoolers who want to
explore unschooling, yet they can't plunge right in. They need to
"relax" first. After they've "relaxed" they tend to reach for
"eclectic." The evolution is complete with unschooling.
Sometimes I'm not so sure if I'm as much an unschooler as I am as much
one who is still in the process of deschooling. (My son deschooled
faster than I have.) I am just very glad that I did not start from the
school-at-home/purchased curriculum. I am grateful for the wise heads
who advised me to deschool before deciding which path to take.
Unschooling just naturally fell into place --- not that it's any less
work. It's a constant challenge, but it's a fun challenge.
Alaura, I'm in the Fredericksburg,VA area -- where are you?
~ Alicia
you. I've been involved in early childhood ed for the past 10 years.
The first two I worked for a parks and rec dept. as a children's
program instructor and coordinator. When we moved to Virginia 8 years
ago, I began my family child care business. I enjoy the freedom of
setting up and running my own program, plus it allows me to be at home
with my two children.
Tammy, I saw your post about the disappointing homeschooling
conference. I helped organize the VHEA conference that Alaura referred
to on the unschooling list. VHEA is inclusive though I think most
people who are involved with VHEA are either eclectic, relaxed, or
completely unschool. There are some who are more structured, but the
structured folks I've met at VHEA seem less rigid than the hs'ers I've
met who go to the HEAV conference. (How's that for a sweeping
generalization?)
The South Carolina conference looks like a lot of fun -- and very
well-organized too, Kelly. I can see all the work you've put into it
just by looking at the website. Perhaps the finance fairy will pay me
beneficial visit so we can attend. (We've already blown our conference
attendance budget for the year.)
One friend of mine referred to unschooling as a spectrum -- and we're
all at various stages along the spectrum. It seems eclectic is the
catch-all category. I've met many structured homeschoolers who want to
explore unschooling, yet they can't plunge right in. They need to
"relax" first. After they've "relaxed" they tend to reach for
"eclectic." The evolution is complete with unschooling.
Sometimes I'm not so sure if I'm as much an unschooler as I am as much
one who is still in the process of deschooling. (My son deschooled
faster than I have.) I am just very glad that I did not start from the
school-at-home/purchased curriculum. I am grateful for the wise heads
who advised me to deschool before deciding which path to take.
Unschooling just naturally fell into place --- not that it's any less
work. It's a constant challenge, but it's a fun challenge.
Alaura, I'm in the Fredericksburg,VA area -- where are you?
~ Alicia