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HUUmans at Home April/May 2001
HUUmans at Home
April/May 2001
Issue 20
A UUA Related Organization
Member, National Home Education Network
Member, Rose Rock Inclusive Homeschoolers
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In this Issue
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Editor's Note by Teresa Willingham SPRING into Homeschooling! Sorry, I can never resist the pun-ny headlines! But I hope you (and Mary, for whom I’m subbing this issue) will indulge me. The weather is beautiful here in Florida, and I imagine it’s starting to green up and warm up and bloom throughout the rest of the country as well. I’ve always thought (and ancient history supports the thought), that spring should mark the beginning of the year — that we should make our New Year’s resolutions now, when the air is fresh and fragrant, while the snow is melting and green things are pushing forth from the hard ground of winter and promise is everywhere, and promises are consequently looking easier to keep. Kids everywhere are probably full of hope and anticipation at the promise of the end of the school year soon, too. But this is also the time of year I’ve always felt that school should start; when all the outdoors is laid out at our feet renewed and invigorated and ripe for discovery. This is the time of year for great literature — writing it and reading it. This is the time of year for great art — seeing it and creating it. This is the time of year that science bursts forth around us in a cacophony of chemical reactions and biological responses, when astronomy glitters over our heads in spring meteor shows, when philosophy rains down upon us like spring showers! Not long ago, one of our UU Homeschoolers listmates bogged down in the quagmire of a bad day and, after a heart-rending, heart-warming litany of the day’s mishaps lamented to the list at large, “It’s drudgery today!” Other listmates responded warmly and supportively and among the treasury of answers she got was this seasonal gem: I would gently remind you that spring is coming. It is in the air and even up here in New York where it's still very gray we know good things are upon us and we all just want to be outside and free of the confines of the house. Good things are, indeed, upon us. Take the books outside and read on a blanket, under the shade of a fresh-leaved tree. Don’t bother with books at all, and take a hike instead. Indulge your curiosity — and inspire your children’s — by taking time to watch an insect or listen to a bird’s song or follow an animal trail. Pass on the joy of the spring through community service. Plant a garden, share some vegetables, keep the birdfeeder filled. Enjoy life in all it’s abundance, teach your children to do the same, and the lessons of the season will be with you forever! Happy Homeschooling! Terri Willingham Many, many thanks to our wonderful contributors, Jackie Boone, Amy Windmill, and Camille Sobun, our copy editor! |
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UUA News: UUA President Visits Holdeen Partners In India, Offers Aid (Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India; Feb. 16, 2001) Excerpted from: http://www.uua.org/news/india/ UUA President John Buehrens... reported that he was deeply moved by the way in which partner groups of the Holdeen India Program have been central to organizing an effective response to the devastating earthquake of January 26. Latest local estimates are that as many as 70,000 people were killed and nearly 600,000 rendered homeless. ..."Early reports, even by the government of India, ignored much of the rural devastation," says Buehrens. "It took our Holdeen partners to help them see the scope of the problem and to try to redirect aid efforts beyond donor-driven concerns to the real concerns of people on the ground. Long term response requires more than relief," he said. "More than medicine and hospitals, or food aid, or used clothing, it requires the things our partners work on -- livelihood for the poor, equity in how aid and resources are used, and efforts to rebuild housing." The UUA Holdeen India Program is providing up to $100,000 in special grants to its partners in Gujarat. The Rissho Kosei-kai of Japan, a partner of the UUA in international interfaith work, has contributed another $25,000. Donations now exceeding $30,000 have also been received from many individuals and UU congregations... ...The UUA's program to bring aid to the Ahmedabad region and to the Holdeen India partners, is continuing. Funds can be mailed to the UUA at the address below. Make checks payable to "UUA-HIP" or "UUA-Holdeen India Program" and note on the check: "Emergency Aid to India." c/o Unitarian Universalist Association P.O. Box 3054 Boston, MA 02241-3054. The UUA's Holdeen India Program was created from trusts intended to assist the most impoverished groups in India, particularly in the areas of "maternity, child welfare, education and migration expenses." Further information on the fate of the Holdeen India partners and aid work connected with supporting their efforts will be distributed as available. A Call to Progressive Clergy & Lay Activists! April 4-6, 2001 Washington, D.C. http://www.uua.org/news/010319.html An interracial, interfaith coalition of religious leaders invites you to join with us to create a powerful prophetic voice on the signal justice issues of our times. ...Help build a new collaborative movement that will bring progressive religious voices more powerfully into the national dialogue on politics and morality. We will learn from each other's struggles and successes and together build new strategies for effective action. Now and in the coming months and years it will be especially important to strengthen the progressive religious voice on issues of economic, racial and sexual justice, religious liberty, and more. We urgently need to work together. Among the leaders who have come together to help launch this effort are: Rev. James Lawson, Rabbi Leonard Beerman, Rev. George Regas, Sr. Joan Chittister, Sr. Maureen Fiedler, Rev. Jimmy Creech of Soulforce, Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center, Rev. John Buehrens of the Unitarian Universalist Association, Rev. Welton Gaddy of The Interfaith Alliance, Rev. Steven Baines of Equal Partners in Faith; Rev. Carlton Veazy of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Rev. David Dyson of the People of Faith Network, Rev. Timothy McDonald of the African American Ministers Leadership Conference, Rev. William Rankin of Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance, Rabbi Arthur Waskow of Shalom Center, Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rev. Joe Hough of Union Theological Seminary, Al Sharp of Protestants for the Common Good, Rev. James Adams of Center for Progressive Christianity, Rabbi Steve Jacobs of Los Angeles, Ralph Neas of People for the American Way, and more. We are committed to being equally outspoken on issues of sexual justice as on issues of economic and racial justice. Among the conference sessions will be "supporting all of God's families," "cultivating spirituality in resistance to the dominant culture," and "reclaiming the beloved community." Issues to be addressed will include Charitable Choice, sweatshops and the right to organize, the death penalty, voter disenfranchisement and election integrity, and much more. We'll share case studies of progressive religious organizing from many activists and organizations. Please help us by spreading the word among progressive religious leaders and activists.... The work of the PRP is supported by People For the American Way Foundation and the Regas Institute. To receive more information about the conference and registration materials, please call 202-467-2313 or send a message to prp@pfaw.org. Don’t Forget GA & Upcoming elections! http://www.uua.org/elections/ The 40th General Assembly will be held in Cleveland, Ohio on June 21-25th. The GA is the yearly meeting of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations. The myriad programs, business events, and exhibits provide a rich experience to the more than 4,000 UU's who attend each year. Slate 2001 nominees for President and Moderator this year are as follows. (See the entire slate in the World or at uua.org) President: 1 to be elected; 4-year term Rev. Diane Miller, Belmont, Massachusetts Rev. William Sinkford, Cambridge, MA Moderator: 1 to be elected; 4-year term Patsy Sherrill Madden, St. Louis, Missouri Diane Olson, Scottsdale, Arizona |
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Homeschool News from around the Nation: Homeschool athletes are making grade March 09, 2001 By Danny M. Boyd (The A.P.) TULSA, Okla. - Kevin Johnson's emergence as a budding college basketball star followed a celebrated high school career for a team with no home court, no blaring band and no big yellow bus. Johnson, who averaged 13 points a game this season at Tulsa, was part of a team of homeschooled athletes from Houston who competed against public and private high schools. A small, growing number of athletes from teams started by parents who educate their kids at home are bound for college courts, fields and cross country courses. A few - including Johnson - are NCAA Division I athletes. He was highly recruited when he finished high school three years ago. Johnson helped Tulsa advance to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals last year. As a teen, he was coached by his father, Marshall Johnson, who played pro football with the Baltimore Colts in the late 1970s and was a three-sport athlete at the University of Houston. ...Tournament coordinator Tim Flatt, who coaches a team in Oklahoma City, estimates between 500 and 700 homeschool athletic associations offering varsity level basketball nationwide. Some groups also play other sports. Baltimore, the city that homeschools by Abheun Kim, Capital News Service WASHINGTON -- The number of home-schooled students in Baltimore jumped 66 percent last year, the largest increase in the state, according to new statistics from the Maryland Department of Education. While the overall number of home schoolers across the state increased 9.4 percent from 1998-99 to 1999-2000, Baltimore City saw a growth rate seven times that of the state. The increase in Baltimore home schoolers comes as 34 city schools have been put on probation by the state, which monitors the schools and can take them away from local control if they do not improve. Four other schools have been taken over by the state since last year. And this gem: Give championships to those who can spell it By Gary Pettus, Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer, March 30, 2001 Joshua Hanssen of Ocean Springs stands about 5-foot-10 and weighs, I'm guessing, 125. He's a great college prospect. Don't expect a ton of scouts and recruiters to come after him with their tongues hanging out, though. For one thing, Joshua is only 13. More important, the home-schooled eighth-grader is not a thoroughbred running back or bomb-flinging quarterback. He cannot fill those positions. He can only spell them. He can, in fact, spell a lot more than that. On Wednesday, he became the 2001 Mississippi State Spelling Bee champion. His winning word: dulcinea. ...Once, in a smug comment on America's adulation of college athletics, Bear Bryant or some other football coach supposedly said something like, "People don't fill stadiums to watch the math class." This is true, and this is a shame. Because what those spelling scholars brought to the arena Wednesday was a demonstration of skill, intelligence and grace under pressure. It's easy to be a spelling bee judge: All you have to do is consult the official word list, look wise, and drink bottled water. On the other hand, it's hard to be a good speller, especially when someone's watching you. Once, in a Clarion-Ledger story about the performers' schedule for Jubilee Jam, I spelled Saturday: S-u-n-d-a-y. My editor was not a-m-u-s-e-d. I tried to imagine what it was like for the kids on stage, standing there with the judges poised like three Buddhas below them, waiting to shake them out of existence; their parents seated in the cold hollow of the war auditorium, twitching and bleeding for them throughout the long morning. Maybe it was a little like those summer days decades ago when I stood at home plate with a bat and a .000 batting average to my name. But even that was different, because I wasn't expected to succeed. These kids were. Three walked away with trophies as important to them as a state basketball championship is to others. More power to students who get an education thanks to their athleticism. But, a long time ago, we lost sight of those for whom colleges were built in the first place: the scholars, the spellers, the math class. Because somebody has to pay the education bill, there will never be enough scholarships for them. But we can dream. We can dream of the morning when we open the paper and read: "Ole Miss fans have a big reason to look forward to today's National Signing Day. "Parade All-American Joshua Hanssen of Ocean Springs has committed to the Rebels, based on the school's promise to change its mascot to the Dulcineas. Hanssen's goals: compete on College Bowl; win a national title, such as president; and make a run for the Nobel Peace Prize. "Jackson Prep standout Vara Lyons should choose Notre Dame. She broke the Rankin County rushing record by doing the "forty-yard dash" in 3.2 seconds, which is how fast she spelled it. At one point during National Signing Day, when a football coach complained that all the good scholarships were going to scholars, he was told, "Get real. People don't fill stadiums to watch some guy hike a ball through his legs." |
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Homeschool Resources by Amy Windwill: This issue: Ages 7 - 12 When children reach this age range, an exciting period of growth and understanding begins. To parents with a computer and access to the internet, this can be the time when kids begin to really use online resources in earnest. Here are a few websites to sate your 7 to 12 year old's thirst for knowledge.
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Homeschooling Contacts: Davies Memorial UU Church 7400 Temple Hill Rd Camp Springs, MD 20748 301-449-4308/(h)283-4545 contact: DRE, Dawn Borchelt Edmonds UU Church 8109 224th St., Edmonds, WA (h) 360-756-7980 contact: DRE, Mary Marsh e-mail: huuman.athome@gte.net First Universalist Parish PO Box 454, Derby Line, VT 05830 802-873-3563 contact: Rev. Jane Dwinell e-mail: fup@together.net UU Fellowship of Wayne Co. 344 N. Columbus Ave, Wooster, OH 44691 330-264-9194 contact: DRE, Georgia Jaeb e-mail: zjaeb@valkyrie.net Franklin Unitarian Universalist Congregation 206 Central Street Franklin, N 03235 603-286-8374 contact: DRE, Becky Colpitts e-mail: colpitts@nh.ultranet.com North Parish of N. Andover Unitarian Universalist 190 Academy Road North Andover, Massachusetts 01845 (978)682-9999 contact: Shirley Toomey (member of RE committee) e-mail: shirley@toomey.net Unitarian Universalist Church of Greensboro 5306 Hilltop Rd. , Greensboro, NC 336-886-8230 contact: Liz Grimes e-mail: JGrimes@infoave.net UU Church of Brevard 735 Pineda Ave. Palm Bay, FL 32907 321-951-7243 contact: Ann Fuller 2185 Meadowland Avenue West Melbourne, FL 32904-4953 321-725-6125 Spirit of Life 18412 Burrell Road Odessa, FL 33556 Ph. (813) 792-1622 contact: Terri Willingham e-mail: spirituu@aol.com Note: You don’t have to list your church if you want to be included on this list. This is a list of UU’s who are supportive of homeschooling. Please help us grow the list of homeschooling UU’s all over N. America. |
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What Works for Us by Amy Windmill: For the inaugural edition of this column, I will be profiling my own family's homeschooling style - or lack thereof! More on that in a minute. To give you a little background, my husband and I are in our late twenties, and our son, Sam, is five. He's always been very bright, funny, and unique – and as he grew from baby to toddler to preschool-aged child, we became more and more convinced that the way to preserve his unique wonderfulness was to teach him at home. Since the decision was made until now, a few years later, I have spent a great deal of money buying stacks and stacks of books, workbooks, and materials to finally come to the conclusion that the best way for our son to learn is by living. Our trips to the zoo lead to discussions about animals, families, nature, and science. He's reading at a second grade level, primarily because of our love of reading as a family - he's had a bedtime story every night since he was a baby. His right brain is stimulated by building complex and, frankly, amazing LEGO creations. We talk - alot. We do some workbook-based things, but as I'm learning, homeschooling doesn't have to mean mimicking a traditional school setting at home, but rather a whole life of learning and adventures and love. What works for us? The world is our classroom! Send Amy your story about what works for YOU and your family at amy@thesmack.com. |
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Underground Mom by Jackie Boone: Who are you, better yet where are you? Hey, it’s Underground Mom here. I’m glad to see that you finally found my channel. Great! I was wondering if I would have an audience. But now that you’re here, sit back and relax. Take a deep breath and clear your mind. Of course we have to remember not all of us have that much time so I’ll try to make this quick. The last thing I want is for you to miss something because the little ones decided that it was time for you to run track. Can we say gym class? So where were we? Oh yeah, do you remember what happened as soon as you brought home your beautiful baby? Do you remember how you learned how to get into the swing or things? You had this really cool game plan. You knew exactly how your day would go and everything would run smoothly. Before long your life had some regularity to it. I mean you could probably (and still do) go through your day with your eyes closed. I mean hey, you the woman. You make things happen at home. The home business is running like I has a mind of it’s own. You know the ins and outs at all the places that you run errands to each day or week. You could run circles around most women who think they know. Okay, maybe not Martha Stewart but let’s face it, she doesn’t have babies/kids in tow. Then one day it happens, you run into a fellow member of the ‘club’. During social hour she says, "How’s Jessica’s Mom today." "It must be really nice that you can be home all day." This remark stuns you. But what can you do? I mean it’s not like you can melt her with x-ray vision or can you? You stay and continue your conversation but the only thing going through your mind is her comment about you being Jessica’s Mom. I mean, come on you were given a name at birth, right? Now come back to now, this moment. How do you feel? What’s going through your mind? Are those same things still happening? Are you still invisible? Have I totally depressed you yet? Or have I made you angry? If I have, Good! It’s time you got worked up about you. I mean hey, when did you stop being you? How did you lose yourself in this mix? Now let me say that I am so pro-mom it’s pathetic. I, too tend to lose myself in the mix all the time. I mean who can blame you. Look at your babies (okay horses). But do you feel me? I mean think about it. Let’s say your mom worked but then she came home and killed herself to make everything most nearly perfect. But when you grew up and thoughts of motherhood blew into your head all you wanted to do was do it differently. You know, be there with your children to give them that you time. Well you know what? Do what you felt is best for your family. Say that again with me, "Do what’s best for your family". That is the real reason why you’re home. Because you felt this is something you needed to do for your family. Ok, I know the deal. You were thinking look at that great man over there. I bet I could get him to marry me and I stay home and be Mother Goose. I mean wow, the dream! So, we know that not many of you had set out to look for that kind of destiny but here we are. What do you do? First off, let’s go back to your breathing and take that mental break. We are going to get a few minutes to think about what you like do and who you were pre-kids. Sometimes the best time is when your child is viewing a favorite television show or video. While their eyes are glued to the tube, yours can be planted in on a favorite past time or just going wherever in your mind. Just to get as little as 2-5 minutes or as much as 20-30 minutes of free nothing time. Sometimes not doing a thing is great. In that time you can get a little rest or break from track or gym class. I mean isn’t that class pretty exhausting? So now I would love for you to start a new lesson plan. This one is for you. It’s called Internal Wisdom. The first part of this lesson plan is to begin at the beginning. I’d like for you to write, yes hand write. Ok, you can type it on the computer if you like. But I’d like you to make a list of your character. You know, the kind of person that you believe you are. Then look at them and read them to yourself. Don’t I repeat don’t erase or scratch out a thing. I want you to see how you see yourself. Then think on it. Are you exactly the way that you just wrote out (in black and white, ok you can use whatever color you like)? If not, then next to your first list create a new list of how you’d like to be. Study those as well. Next, write out the goals or dreams that you wanted for yourself. It doesn’t matter how big or small. Then look at them read them to yourself and once again don’t I repeat don’t erase or scratch out a thing. I want you to see your full picture. So have you been good to you? Then when all of this writing is complete. Place this list (or your book if you got carried away, which is good) in a special place so that when you feel like taking that mental break, you and only you know where this treasure is. You see I want you to refer to it often until you’ve got it absorbed into the folds of your brain. I want it to flow straight to the core of you and stick so strong that not even the strongest glue will have a thing on you. I can hear it now, "What, you want me to do what!" "I refuse to write!" "I’ll sit here but I’m not picking up a pen nor pencil, nothing." "You think this is so great then you write!" Well, do you know what I what I have to say about that? Fine, don’t write. Make a mental note of it until it’s imprinted permanently into your soul. Better yet don’t even think about it. Don’t do it at all. I mean, why? Why do it? I’m sure that you’re tired enough. Screaming kids, lessons to be done. You just don’t have the time. I totally understand. The time that I did my list was when I was taking care of the bills. That was the only time I needed to do it. Then I posted it right in front of me. So that everyday that I sat down to check email or handle the finances, it was right in front of me calling to me. I’d read it to myself before everyone rose in the morning or late at night if I chose to get up. I know that this all seems impossible to manage but you can do it. You can do it! I believe in you and your ability to be. Take that 2 minutes to be in the moment of mothering. Isn’t that what you chose when you decided to be there with your children? Remember to always tell them, "Thank you for allowing me to share in your world and to experience your treasures." It may surprise you just how good you’ll feel after just a few minutes of breathing, relishing, cherishing (ok being selfish a sec), and being. With that enjoy this wonderful season so full of renewed beginnings. Make sure that you plant the seeds of internal wisdom inside your soul so that they may blossom into colorful yet meaningful purpose in your life. Remember to just be. If you’d like to comment on this article or make suggestions, please send them to Undergroundmom@mail.com. Until next time, feel the flow of life and ride with it. |
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Kid’s Corner, edited by Andrea Willingham: EBAY ADVENTURES by Ellie Willingham, 12 Ebay is quite a challenging site. If you make a bid that you think is right, The bidders will surely put up a fight. If you find an item, and you like the price, The bidders will actually double it twice. Things on Ebay are hard to get. If you're easily bothered, don't mess with it! |
HUUmans at Home
HUUmans at Home HUUmans at Home is a quarterly publication of UU Homeschoolers Contents reflect the views of the authors and are not necessarily those of any particular group of people. The editor welcomes submissions of articles, letters, media reviews and other items of interest to our readers. Inquiries and submissions can be sent to:
Email: Terri sparrow@tampabay.rr.com
Rights to all submissions to this newsletter remain with the authors. Permission is hereby granted for homeschoolers to quote from this newsletter in whole or in part with the requirements that this newsletter is properly credited as the source and that a copy of the quote is sent to the editor at the above address.
