Ever hear or read Alison McKee? She's written a blog post I really appreciate. In this post she does a great job of breaking down the concept of mentoring and how it happens so naturally. I was encouraged by her words. Nice to be reminded I've been on the right track. Amy Milstein has a neat blog. I can't wait to read more of it. She also joined Blake Boles on his podcast. Scroll down to the 5th podcast and there she is. But, if you have time, listen to all of them! They're very inspiring! And definitely check out Ken Robinson and Logan LaPlante They've been around a while but maybe someone reading this hasn't had the joy of being inspired by them. These are YT videos but Ken Robinson has written books that I've enjoyed as well. The Element and Out of Our Minds were two I would love to have for all the resources they contain in the index and end notes. These were just some of the inspirations for me on this journey so I thought I'd share them with others who might be on the journey as well. I could listen/read these often for a 'pick me up' whenever I need it!

I've read the Grace Llewellyn book and loved it. She does have interests but they aren't deep. Meaning it's not strong enough for her to go and check out blogs or books or even videos on it. Occasionally I bring home books that might interest her, she flips through them, and it ends there. Extra time is spent talking to friends, making videos for her blog but that's getting less and less, she's writing a story these days. As far as stories she writes goes, any comments from me, even very mild ones, can stop the desire to write. Funny you should ask those questions (8fth) about her dreams etc. I just asked her those and more yesterday while in the car. She had a hard time finding her answers. That was invaluable to me, to learn more about her and how she thinks. But she was open to me asking. She's not a depressed girl, not by any stretch. Loves her friends, likes walking with me, likes her animals, she is not a closed off person. I think she just doesn't know where her path is going or that she can make a path of her own. In fact, I don't think she thinks there is any issue....but as a mom I'm constantly looking weeks/months/years/ down the road. What is coming down the road that we need to address, prepare for, or just ponder about. What I want for her is going to take some effort on my part. Kind of like doing unit studies...yeah, it's fun and creative with a great possibility to gain much but it takes time to gather the supplies, order them, prep them, get the best price, maybe do one in advance to make sure it works etc. I want to find places where she can get real life learning but that is going to be with people I don't know yet. Got to figure out what I want then find out how to get there. It's definitely not the easy route but it's one worth the effort.

8FTH: yes, in a nut shell. Not doing the same ol, same ol. Which to me is school at home. I've tried to figure out exactly what I'm trying to get to the heart of and it's difficult! There are many variables. Some are related to my daughter, some related to me. With her, it's that right now she is in a place of transition. Once adolescence fully hit she no longer had the interests that filled her time i.e. dolls, crafting etc. There isn't much that she's interested in so any 'self-directed learning' is going to be 'mom directed' for a while until she finds an interest. There are a few thin threads of interests so I'm doing what I can to find opportunities there. With me, I'm burnt out, I'm old :D (read menopause), and I'm having a hard time with the 'new' adolescent that lives in my house and calls herself my daughter. Yeah, don't we sound like a great bunch...one coming 'in' and the other going 'out'..... ACK! :D Not sure I needed to add in all that. I would just like to hear from anyone who is learning through living life. We aren't there yet as I've mentioned due to her not having deep interests in anything. Just the smell of something seeming like school is cause for rolling eyes and detached attitude. (I'm trying to stay balanced by not taking ALL the blame but......you know how that can go : / ) I have some ideas of classes to keep the creativity flowing, even if it's not in her direct scope of things. Just something new, interesting ( to me,anyway), and volunteer options. (We met this gal who is building a 'tiny house' not far from where we live. This might be a great opp. if the gal would welcome a newbie.) But I put all this out there so if someone else is living outside the curriculum box, I would love to hear what you do,for ideas and inspiration for me. I'm just not having fun anymore. She's not having fun anymore. No, it doesn't have to be a barrel of laughs 24/7; just take my word for it that we are at a definite crossroads. I feel like I need to shake things up and see where it all lands and start fresh. What that looks like and how long it's going to take, me no know :D

I'm not even sure if it's right/fair to post this question on a heavily directed learning style, classical :D but honestly I don't know where else to ask this where there are great thinkers and a board that actually has traffic. Where I'm coming from: I read/hear articles or podcasts like the ones on B. B. site, ideas of John Taylor Gatto, and of amazing young people like Laura Dekker and Celina Dill and my heart is at home. I think of school, tests, and daily grind of book work and I cringe. We've done h.s.ing the regular way for 7-8 years and we're both ready for something different and free, not in cost in being able to be creative. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I'd love to know your thoughts.

Anyone going more towards this route at this stage of the game? I'd love to hear what your plans are in doing this. Blake Boles has much to say on this subject, many inspiring podcasts, great links to keep one busy researching for days. His name is his site.he's written books like "college without high school" "better than high school", and my most recent fave podcast "the art of self directed learning".

"The Brainy Bunch" by Mona Lisa Harding. Pretty amazing that 2 18 y.o. got married, eventually had 10 kids, and made a way to have them go to college by age 12. I love that they wanted higher education for their children but didn't want all the drama that goes with high school and the college atmosphere. The oldest is a mathematician, then there's the architect, the doctor and it goes on!

Great questions! Love all the time put into these thoughtful answers. I admire that ability to phrase your thoughts and phrase them well. Bravo and thanks!

I realized what made me think about this. It came to mind as I read "The Digital Invasion". How with the new ways our children deal with the world through technology and how learning is different. One small example is how in the past the one way or the main way to write a research paper was to look up in books to get info. There would be a lot more reading going on than there is now. Now it's more like skimming, reading a blurb that goes along with a photo, or watching a 3-10 minute video clip that tells us the info. So just as that is one small example of how learning is changing, it just makes me think the way we have been teaching science is going to change as well. Make sense? Referring back to the book a minute, another huge change is going to be how the recent generations will have relationships with one another. With much remote communication (texting, email, FB) these generations won't be well versed in body language and voice tones, among other ways of reading people. Much is changing. Learning and how we learn will, too. Hope this made sense!

Seems to me that many goals and basic themes of study have changed over the years, as to what the goal for your graduating child would/could/should be. I believe some of the change has to do with more technology in our world. Testing and experiments might even be outdated to some degree or in some ways. With this in mind, how do you go about deciding what your child should take away with them once gone from the nest :) With lists from various books i.e. 'What Your ____ Grader Should Know', Rebecca Rupp's book on making your own list using her ideas (gleaned from a handful of places), Common Core, your state's list, etc there just isn't one list of knowledge to teach....thank goodness!!! :) So, a couple of questions for you. I'll list them so it might be easier to answer. 1. How or what do you use to determine what you want for your child's basic store of knowledge to set them on their way? And do you/spouse have a science background? (I don't, HA!) 2. Do you feel the basics of science have changed, whether due to technology or otherwise? How? 3. Do you feel there is a new outlook on science that is different from the way science was viewed, say 30 years, ago when home learning was in it's infancy? I'm just trying to brainstorm here. I feel there have been and will continue to be changes regarding science and the way we look at things for the future and just wondering if you'll brainstorm along with me :)

Question for you all....since this has been our m.o. without trying ;) How did you know what/where to start your 7th grader or 8th grader in science? Ideas??? Thanks!

May I offer something? If you can get a copy of ATTA, it would be a good idea. Reason: when I tried to put mine to use, various times over several years, most of the books were OOP. I ended up using other books in the library or recommendations. Basically, I didn't need the resource. If your library has many of the books you want to use, and you can't find a copy, let me know. I'll check to see if I still have my (old) copy) and you are welcomed to it. just email me off the board. FWIW: I've found that several resource books like that are out dated as far as what's in the library anymore, what's current and interesting, and what books might be listed in guides. ATTA and Truthquest guides were not working for me, in regard to availability. However, with just one child in our family, I wasn't hunting book sales to keep these books in my personal library. So, it might be a different story for you. :)

"Log on to your computer with a user account that has administrator rights." ugh. this is my problem as the trouble is with the admin. log on. I did try all these steps but when i get to the renaming part it doesn't work. thanks, though. I'll try the other link you mentioned.

Just wondering if anyone has had this error msg. when trying to log on to your computer as 'owner' or 'admin'.... User profile service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded and now I can't get in to my files! ugh. anyone have any ideas on how to help? Thanks!

Then how do you teach your children to have a decent attitude when it's either something they don't like (math) or they simply get frustrated way too easily. Dd has an amazingly short fuse, and is 12 and on the verge of "adolescence", the triple threat :) We've not used rewards in the past. (I too agree with many of Alfie Khon's ideas). But this is out of control. It's so hard to know what to do. I envy you mothers who know what you'll do and do it. I feel like I'm trying something new every 6 months, if not sooner. What's hard to know is how much do I let go for: 1. She's changing and she's in the whirlwind as much as we are, 2. I feel she should be allowed to express her anger to a degree (I think it would be way worse to gag every feeling she has) 3. But I absolutely don't want to receive treatment like I'm a doormat. FYI I'm not a pushover, I'm trying to show grace and patience as we all navigate this thing called tweendom (she's 12). How do you all do it? When math is the issue I really think it's the frustration and not the fact that she may not understand it. I've tried to encourage her that if she doesn't get it now, it's OK because we'll be revisiting it often. It was suggested to me that we use a reward system. From a positive view of earning rewards for good behavior, good attitude, self control, basically doing her work without issue or at least working towards a better attitude during things she doesn't like. Or not flying off the handle when she can't get the bunny in the hutch because she runs away :) The buns get to roam the yard till its dusk and that is very frustrating when Mini runs off :) Nothing else is the issue, mainly math and the buns - which lead to frustration and she goes 0-60 so fast. I've already considered a tutor and other things so it's really the reaction to things she gets frustrated with. I don't remember having to make a"frustration"plan when I was young, but we lived in old school ways-fear drove us to behave. I don't want that. A little more reverence towards us parents but not fear. Thanks for reading this long. I want to have a plan but I don't know what my options are in teaching patience and perseverance.

If you do, how does it work for you? Would you mind details about it? How effective would you say it is? Thanks!