Homeschool Forum

One score and five people gathered at Local Farm today to consider various aspects of homeschooling. Starting off with a panel discussion moderated by 18 year-old homeschooled Margaret Hopkins, panelists Vicki Harkness, Bianca Fiore LaPorta, Alicia North, Deirdre Fischer and Debra Tyler spoke of: the "type" of homeschooling they practiced; their greatest challenges as homeschooling parents; and how they answered the commonly asked question, 'What about socialization?' This was followed by a 12 minute brainstorming session of places to go and things to do as homeschooling families. Former principal of Cornwall Consolidated School, Kathleen Fitzgibbons, next spoke of how she reached out to homeschooling families during her principalship. She enthusiastically encouraged us all to be true to ourselves. She also shared a personal antidote about meeting children's author and Newbery Award winner, Elizabeth Yates.

After a fabulous pot-luck lunch, Debra showed examples of home-made books as homeschooling helps and we collaboratively elaborated & illustrated a simple book based on our brainstormed list:

Places to Go, Things to Do...

Go to Asia, Africa, South America; TRAVEL; Thompson Finch Farm; Sturbridge Village; Peabody Museum; Local Farm; Warner Theater; Ellsworth Farm; Edwards, CA; home; water; Sloane-Stanley & Mineral and Mining Museum; Norman Rockwell Museum; volunteer; Audubon; 4-H; The Met; New York City; USS Intrepid; grandparents; Waldorf May Day; city camp; Hancock Shaker Village; Danbury Rail; Kent Falls; library, Post Office; bank; playground; beach; berry picking; farm market; grocery store; firehouse; local schools; Popple Swamp Road salamander migration; White Memorial; Mass MOCA; Kent Coffee and Chocolate; hiking; skiing; snowboarding; kayaking; canoe; tractor pulls; herb walks; foraging; Catamount; Motherhouse events; grow own food; anywhere/anything to do with food; backyards; apprenticeships; gardens; Grange events; Geer; build a jet fighter; concerts; round sings; make music; contra dances; Tanglewood; Jacob's Pillow; Oswego, NY; Cooperstown, NY; road trips; debate teams; Park & Rec; National/State Parks; Community Centers; Little Guild; animal shelters; tree-houses; blanket forts; sewing; make a corset; shoe-making; masonry; build a stone wall; swimming; homeschool fairs;
robotics club; Legos; Little House on the Prairie picnics; Medieval Fairs; crocheting; repair an F-22; painting; reading; pottery; music lessons; archeology; service; yoga; tie-dye; languages; blacksmithing; fencing; book groups; dance parties; any river...