[email protected]

In a message dated 8/20/02 6:12:00 PM, GDobes@... writes:

<< Let us live vicariously through your experiences. Enlighten us,
share
with us. How was the conference you attended/presented at? >>

If I tell too many stories it will seem unbelievably puffed up.

I had fun. I met people whose words I had read for years but whose faces and
voices and smiles were new to me. I got to hang around with people I know
and REALLY like but who are only physically in my life at homeschooling
conferences!

There were four speaking-times for me, and three were shared with others.

Saturday there was an unschooling panel which ended up being Mary Griffith,
Jan Hunt, Pam Sorooshian, myself, and Evan Wright, a young man who came late
to unschooling but REALLY got it and had his life changed. He was profoundly
moving.

Sunday morning at 8:00 (yes, church-early and pretty extreme) was my only
alone-presentation. I had about 60 people, I think. I haven't listened to
the tape yet so I haven't even reviewed for myself how I think it went. It
was smooth, but I think a couple of times I started to make a point and
didn't quite dwell on it long enough to finish clearly. I hope it all made
an hour's worth of sense though.

9:15 Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I went together to do a presentation on video
games. I'm going to lift what I wrote to the HSC list about that rather than
try to re-phrase.

------------

I was forwarded a very nice set of comments on the video gaming workshop that
Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I collaborated on (thanks, Nicole, for writing
that, and thanks Betsy for sending it to me!) and I have some things to say.

Dan was awesome, both in terms of the information he had (which wouldn't have
sounded the same coming from me or Kathy, honestly) AND his technical pizazz
(which was really on the low end of his pizazz capability, I'm sure).
Kathy's testimony was more powerful than mine because she went from limiting
video games to revelling in them.

One especially sweet aspect which we hadn't planned in advance was this:

We had three "demo" offspring each play a game. My Holly, Dan's Matthew, and
Kathy's Jonathan. With those three, they were in three different age
ranges, and not all boys. That was exceptionally well balanced, considering
it was put together piecemeal.

We were in a small room, and it packed up, with people sitting on the floor,
leaning on the walls and the back table, and watching from the sidewalk
outside.

I propose to anyone concerned with next year's conference that
1) it was important
2) it was popular and desired information
3) we need a WAY bigger room

I think Dan Vilter should do this again in the ballroom/banquet room where he
can project the game screen even bigger and better, and where as many people
as want to can get in there and watch normal unschooled gaming kids play
difficult games with ease, and describe the strategies they're using. If
Dan wants help and I'm invited out again, I'd love to be just a helper this
time. I bet Kathy would do it again too. The energy in the room was great.
I felt that we really changed some minds and some families' lives. Those
already of a mind to accept video games as valuable had their vague ideas
solidified.

We could have done a full day of presentation with no repetition.

I'm still excited about that workshop.

Sandra Dodd
---------------------------

So I'll put Nicole's notes, and then come back to the rest of that day:

----------------------------


> Did anyone go to the talk about
> videogames? have any details to share?

Yes, I went to this panel and thought it was one of the best subjects i
could
have picked that weekend on my sons behalf (after all its all about
them) I
only wished I had taken him to it (He just turned 12) I was so thrilled
about
the talk i didn't want to leave, I felt like i was doing the best thing
for
my son even though he wasn't there, I could now understand his side of
the
importance of video games and computer games and how they DO STIMULATE
YOUR
MIND, it just sorta reaffirmed what I had already hope could be.

I think it would be great if every parent could hear it next year,
because
almost all of us do have a child who likes to play a computer game or
video
game and have it be held in one of the bigger rooms too! Oh I also
bought the
tape on it so my husband (who was watching my three children) could
listen to
it, so if you cant get it I can make a copy for you.

Thanks for the great question and thank you Kathy, Sandra, and Dan for
such a
cool topic and to all Conference volunteers and workers for making it
possible :-)

Nicole**

[email protected]

In a message dated 08/21/2002 11:28:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
SandraDodd@... writes:


> I'm still excited about that workshop.

Thanks for sharing. Look forward to more inspiration.
Ginny


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Leslie Avery

Sandra,

I attended your 8:00a.m. presentation, and I thought
it was great. The one thing you said that just hit me
between the eye was VALIDATE my children. My 13 year
old daughter and I have been going round and round for
about 1 year on stupid stuff and I couldn't figure it
out, the minute you said it I knew what the problem
was. I was not validating the fact she is growing up.
I also was at the presentation you did with Richard
P. which was equally awesome. You guys came from
different points of view which was good.

Leslie
--- SandraDodd@... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 8/20/02 6:12:00 PM,
> GDobes@... writes:
>
> << Let us live vicariously through your
> experiences. Enlighten us,
> share
> with us. How was the conference you
> attended/presented at? >>
>
> If I tell too many stories it will seem unbelievably
> puffed up.
>
> I had fun. I met people whose words I had read for
> years but whose faces and
> voices and smiles were new to me. I got to hang
> around with people I know
> and REALLY like but who are only physically in my
> life at homeschooling
> conferences!
>
> There were four speaking-times for me, and three
> were shared with others.
>
> Saturday there was an unschooling panel which ended
> up being Mary Griffith,
> Jan Hunt, Pam Sorooshian, myself, and Evan Wright, a
> young man who came late
> to unschooling but REALLY got it and had his life
> changed. He was profoundly
> moving.
>
> Sunday morning at 8:00 (yes, church-early and pretty
> extreme) was my only
> alone-presentation. I had about 60 people, I think.
> I haven't listened to
> the tape yet so I haven't even reviewed for myself
> how I think it went. It
> was smooth, but I think a couple of times I started
> to make a point and
> didn't quite dwell on it long enough to finish
> clearly. I hope it all made
> an hour's worth of sense though.
>
> 9:15 Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I went together to
> do a presentation on video
> games. I'm going to lift what I wrote to the HSC
> list about that rather than
> try to re-phrase.
>
> ------------
>
> I was forwarded a very nice set of comments on the
> video gaming workshop that
> Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I collaborated on
> (thanks, Nicole, for writing
> that, and thanks Betsy for sending it to me!) and I
> have some things to say.
>
> Dan was awesome, both in terms of the information he
> had (which wouldn't have
> sounded the same coming from me or Kathy, honestly)
> AND his technical pizazz
> (which was really on the low end of his pizazz
> capability, I'm sure).
> Kathy's testimony was more powerful than mine
> because she went from limiting
> video games to revelling in them.
>
> One especially sweet aspect which we hadn't planned
> in advance was this:
>
> We had three "demo" offspring each play a game. My
> Holly, Dan's Matthew, and
> Kathy's Jonathan. With those three, they were in
> three different age
> ranges, and not all boys. That was exceptionally
> well balanced, considering
> it was put together piecemeal.
>
> We were in a small room, and it packed up, with
> people sitting on the floor,
> leaning on the walls and the back table, and
> watching from the sidewalk
> outside.
>
> I propose to anyone concerned with next year's
> conference that
> 1) it was important
> 2) it was popular and desired information
> 3) we need a WAY bigger room
>
> I think Dan Vilter should do this again in the
> ballroom/banquet room where he
> can project the game screen even bigger and better,
> and where as many people
> as want to can get in there and watch normal
> unschooled gaming kids play
> difficult games with ease, and describe the
> strategies they're using. If
> Dan wants help and I'm invited out again, I'd love
> to be just a helper this
> time. I bet Kathy would do it again too. The
> energy in the room was great.
> I felt that we really changed some minds and some
> families' lives. Those
> already of a mind to accept video games as valuable
> had their vague ideas
> solidified.
>
> We could have done a full day of presentation with
> no repetition.
>
> I'm still excited about that workshop.
>
> Sandra Dodd
> ---------------------------
>
> So I'll put Nicole's notes, and then come back to
> the rest of that day:
>
> ----------------------------
>
>
> > Did anyone go to the talk about
> > videogames? have any details to share?
>
> Yes, I went to this panel and thought it was one of
> the best subjects i
> could
> have picked that weekend on my sons behalf (after
> all its all about
> them) I
> only wished I had taken him to it (He just turned
> 12) I was so thrilled
> about
> the talk i didn't want to leave, I felt like i was
> doing the best thing
> for
> my son even though he wasn't there, I could now
> understand his side of
> the
> importance of video games and computer games and how
> they DO STIMULATE
> YOUR
> MIND, it just sorta reaffirmed what I had already
> hope could be.
>
> I think it would be great if every parent could hear
> it next year,
> because
> almost all of us do have a child who likes to play a
> computer game or
> video
> game and have it be held in one of the bigger rooms
> too! Oh I also
> bought the
> tape on it so my husband (who was watching my three
> children) could
> listen to
> it, so if you cant get it I can make a copy for you.
>
> Thanks for the great question and thank you Kathy,
> Sandra, and Dan for
> such a
> cool topic and to all Conference volunteers and
> workers for making it
> possible :-)
>
> Nicole**
>
>
>
>


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com

Leslie Avery

Sandra

The other thing I forgot to mention that I got out of
your morning presentation was TRUST YOUR KIDS.

Leslie
--- Leslie Avery <ljbakavery@...> wrote:
> Sandra,
>
> I attended your 8:00a.m. presentation, and I thought
> it was great. The one thing you said that just hit
> me
> between the eye was VALIDATE my children. My 13
> year
> old daughter and I have been going round and round
> for
> about 1 year on stupid stuff and I couldn't figure
> it
> out, the minute you said it I knew what the problem
> was. I was not validating the fact she is growing
> up.
> I also was at the presentation you did with Richard
> P. which was equally awesome. You guys came from
> different points of view which was good.
>
> Leslie
> --- SandraDodd@... wrote:
> >
> > In a message dated 8/20/02 6:12:00 PM,
> > GDobes@... writes:
> >
> > << Let us live vicariously through your
> > experiences. Enlighten us,
> > share
> > with us. How was the conference you
> > attended/presented at? >>
> >
> > If I tell too many stories it will seem
> unbelievably
> > puffed up.
> >
> > I had fun. I met people whose words I had read
> for
> > years but whose faces and
> > voices and smiles were new to me. I got to hang
> > around with people I know
> > and REALLY like but who are only physically in my
> > life at homeschooling
> > conferences!
> >
> > There were four speaking-times for me, and three
> > were shared with others.
> >
> > Saturday there was an unschooling panel which
> ended
> > up being Mary Griffith,
> > Jan Hunt, Pam Sorooshian, myself, and Evan Wright,
> a
> > young man who came late
> > to unschooling but REALLY got it and had his life
> > changed. He was profoundly
> > moving.
> >
> > Sunday morning at 8:00 (yes, church-early and
> pretty
> > extreme) was my only
> > alone-presentation. I had about 60 people, I
> think.
> > I haven't listened to
> > the tape yet so I haven't even reviewed for myself
> > how I think it went. It
> > was smooth, but I think a couple of times I
> started
> > to make a point and
> > didn't quite dwell on it long enough to finish
> > clearly. I hope it all made
> > an hour's worth of sense though.
> >
> > 9:15 Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I went together to
> > do a presentation on video
> > games. I'm going to lift what I wrote to the HSC
> > list about that rather than
> > try to re-phrase.
> >
> > ------------
> >
> > I was forwarded a very nice set of comments on the
> > video gaming workshop that
> > Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I collaborated on
> > (thanks, Nicole, for writing
> > that, and thanks Betsy for sending it to me!) and
> I
> > have some things to say.
> >
> > Dan was awesome, both in terms of the information
> he
> > had (which wouldn't have
> > sounded the same coming from me or Kathy,
> honestly)
> > AND his technical pizazz
> > (which was really on the low end of his pizazz
> > capability, I'm sure).
> > Kathy's testimony was more powerful than mine
> > because she went from limiting
> > video games to revelling in them.
> >
> > One especially sweet aspect which we hadn't
> planned
> > in advance was this:
> >
> > We had three "demo" offspring each play a game.
> My
> > Holly, Dan's Matthew, and
> > Kathy's Jonathan. With those three, they were in
> > three different age
> > ranges, and not all boys. That was exceptionally
> > well balanced, considering
> > it was put together piecemeal.
> >
> > We were in a small room, and it packed up, with
> > people sitting on the floor,
> > leaning on the walls and the back table, and
> > watching from the sidewalk
> > outside.
> >
> > I propose to anyone concerned with next year's
> > conference that
> > 1) it was important
> > 2) it was popular and desired information
> > 3) we need a WAY bigger room
> >
> > I think Dan Vilter should do this again in the
> > ballroom/banquet room where he
> > can project the game screen even bigger and
> better,
> > and where as many people
> > as want to can get in there and watch normal
> > unschooled gaming kids play
> > difficult games with ease, and describe the
> > strategies they're using. If
> > Dan wants help and I'm invited out again, I'd love
> > to be just a helper this
> > time. I bet Kathy would do it again too. The
> > energy in the room was great.
> > I felt that we really changed some minds and some
> > families' lives. Those
> > already of a mind to accept video games as
> valuable
> > had their vague ideas
> > solidified.
> >
> > We could have done a full day of presentation with
> > no repetition.
> >
> > I'm still excited about that workshop.
> >
> > Sandra Dodd
> > ---------------------------
> >
> > So I'll put Nicole's notes, and then come back to
> > the rest of that day:
> >
> > ----------------------------
> >
> >
> > > Did anyone go to the talk about
> > > videogames? have any details to share?
> >
> > Yes, I went to this panel and thought it was one
> of
> > the best subjects i
> > could
> > have picked that weekend on my sons behalf (after
> > all its all about
> > them) I
> > only wished I had taken him to it (He just turned
> > 12) I was so thrilled
> > about
> > the talk i didn't want to leave, I felt like i was
> > doing the best thing
> > for
> > my son even though he wasn't there, I could now
> > understand his side of
> > the
> > importance of video games and computer games and
> how
> > they DO STIMULATE
> > YOUR
> > MIND, it just sorta reaffirmed what I had already
> > hope could be.
> >
> > I think it would be great if every parent could
> hear
> > it next year,
> > because
> > almost all of us do have a child who likes to play
> a
> > computer game or
> > video
> > game and have it be held in one of the bigger
> rooms
> > too! Oh I also
> > bought the
> > tape on it so my husband (who was watching my
> three
> > children) could
> > listen to
> > it, so if you cant get it I can make a copy for
> you.
>
=== message truncated ===


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com

[email protected]

In a message dated 8/21/02 11:48:32 AM, ljbakavery@... writes:

<< I also was at the presentation you did with Richard
P. which was equally awesome. >>

THANKS!

<I attended your 8:00a.m. presentation, and I thought
it was great. The one thing you said that just hit me
between the eye was VALIDATE my children. My 13 year
old daughter and I have been going round and round for
about 1 year on stupid stuff and I couldn't figure it
out, the minute you said it I knew what the problem
was. I was not validating the fact she is growing up.>>

People are weird about kids growing up. I said to one of the other speakers
in a mostly-private conversation that there just comes a time when a teenaged
boy doesn't want to hang out with his mother, and she looked surprised. I
didn't think that was news to anyone!!

thanks for the kind words.

Sandra

kayb85

Do you know if the tapes are available to purchase? I would love to
have a copy of the video game session and also Pam's math anxiety
session (I'm assuming that was the same conference?) And maybe, if
there is a list I could see of session topics, I would be interested
in purchasing others too.
Sheila

[email protected]

boy does that kids growing up hit home. i got a real large dose of that last
year when my then 9 year old daughter started her period and since then the
things i thought would happen later has all started happening at once! she's
like a ten yo teenager!
tina


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Heather Woodward

Sandra,

Are the tapes of the speakers available for purchase? If they are I would be interested in purchasing them.

Thanks...

Heather
----- Original Message -----
From: SandraDodd@...
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2002 11:26 AM
Subject: [Unschooling-dotcom] Sandra's report on the conference (part 1)



In a message dated 8/20/02 6:12:00 PM, GDobes@... writes:

<< Let us live vicariously through your experiences. Enlighten us,
share
with us. How was the conference you attended/presented at? >>

If I tell too many stories it will seem unbelievably puffed up.

I had fun. I met people whose words I had read for years but whose faces and
voices and smiles were new to me. I got to hang around with people I know
and REALLY like but who are only physically in my life at homeschooling
conferences!

There were four speaking-times for me, and three were shared with others.

Saturday there was an unschooling panel which ended up being Mary Griffith,
Jan Hunt, Pam Sorooshian, myself, and Evan Wright, a young man who came late
to unschooling but REALLY got it and had his life changed. He was profoundly
moving.

Sunday morning at 8:00 (yes, church-early and pretty extreme) was my only
alone-presentation. I had about 60 people, I think. I haven't listened to
the tape yet so I haven't even reviewed for myself how I think it went. It
was smooth, but I think a couple of times I started to make a point and
didn't quite dwell on it long enough to finish clearly. I hope it all made
an hour's worth of sense though.

9:15 Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I went together to do a presentation on video
games. I'm going to lift what I wrote to the HSC list about that rather than
try to re-phrase.

------------

I was forwarded a very nice set of comments on the video gaming workshop that
Dan Vilter, Kathy Ward and I collaborated on (thanks, Nicole, for writing
that, and thanks Betsy for sending it to me!) and I have some things to say.

Dan was awesome, both in terms of the information he had (which wouldn't have
sounded the same coming from me or Kathy, honestly) AND his technical pizazz
(which was really on the low end of his pizazz capability, I'm sure).
Kathy's testimony was more powerful than mine because she went from limiting
video games to revelling in them.

One especially sweet aspect which we hadn't planned in advance was this:

We had three "demo" offspring each play a game. My Holly, Dan's Matthew, and
Kathy's Jonathan. With those three, they were in three different age
ranges, and not all boys. That was exceptionally well balanced, considering
it was put together piecemeal.

We were in a small room, and it packed up, with people sitting on the floor,
leaning on the walls and the back table, and watching from the sidewalk
outside.

I propose to anyone concerned with next year's conference that
1) it was important
2) it was popular and desired information
3) we need a WAY bigger room

I think Dan Vilter should do this again in the ballroom/banquet room where he
can project the game screen even bigger and better, and where as many people
as want to can get in there and watch normal unschooled gaming kids play
difficult games with ease, and describe the strategies they're using. If
Dan wants help and I'm invited out again, I'd love to be just a helper this
time. I bet Kathy would do it again too. The energy in the room was great.
I felt that we really changed some minds and some families' lives. Those
already of a mind to accept video games as valuable had their vague ideas
solidified.

We could have done a full day of presentation with no repetition.

I'm still excited about that workshop.

Sandra Dodd
---------------------------

So I'll put Nicole's notes, and then come back to the rest of that day:

----------------------------


> Did anyone go to the talk about
> videogames? have any details to share?

Yes, I went to this panel and thought it was one of the best subjects i
could
have picked that weekend on my sons behalf (after all its all about
them) I
only wished I had taken him to it (He just turned 12) I was so thrilled
about
the talk i didn't want to leave, I felt like i was doing the best thing
for
my son even though he wasn't there, I could now understand his side of
the
importance of video games and computer games and how they DO STIMULATE
YOUR
MIND, it just sorta reaffirmed what I had already hope could be.

I think it would be great if every parent could hear it next year,
because
almost all of us do have a child who likes to play a computer game or
video
game and have it be held in one of the bigger rooms too! Oh I also
bought the
tape on it so my husband (who was watching my three children) could
listen to
it, so if you cant get it I can make a copy for you.

Thanks for the great question and thank you Kathy, Sandra, and Dan for
such a
cool topic and to all Conference volunteers and workers for making it
possible :-)

Nicole**




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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Tia Leschke

>
>People are weird about kids growing up. I said to one of the other speakers
>in a mostly-private conversation that there just comes a time when a teenaged
>boy doesn't want to hang out with his mother, and she looked surprised. I
>didn't think that was news to anyone!!

It wasn't news to me, but it was still a shock when it happened. It was
like being fired, overnight.

Sandra, I've never been to the big BC conference, but if they ever ask you
to speak, I'll find my way across the pond to go. There used to be
wonderful conferences in Vancouver, put on by Wondertree. They had all
kinds of great activities and workshops for all ages. Unfortunately the
people doing the bulk of the work burned out. Getting across the pond is
expensive enough that a similar conference her on The Island would probably
not fly.
Tia

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island

Tia Leschke

>Do you know if the tapes are available to purchase? I would love to
>have a copy of the video game session and also Pam's math anxiety
>session (I'm assuming that was the same conference?) And maybe, if
>there is a list I could see of session topics, I would be interested
>in purchasing others too.

Our local homelearners group has a library for members. I know they've
purchased tapes from the BC conference. It might be that they would
purchase some selected tapes from other conferences. So I'd also be
interested in the ordering info.
Tia

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
*********************************************
Tia Leschke
leschke@...
On Vancouver Island