"hackschooling"

[Runningmom80]

I'm sure this has been posted already, but I wanted to share just in case. 

 

I would really love to evolve into something like this with my DS.

 

 

[quark]

From the video...

 

 

"Everything is up for being hacked."

 

"Not dedicated to one particular approach."

 

"Take advantage of all sorts of opportunities."

 

"It's a mindset, not a system."

 

"Hacking mindset."

 

 

The quoted sentences are the ones that I identify with most.

 

I watched this back in March or April I think and was suitably impressed by his confidence on stage and what he has to say. I feel, however, that what he is describing isn't new to us already risk-taking homeschoolers. Kiddo's reaction to his video was basically, "hey, we already do a lot of that", with some differences based on our life context.

 

The moment you feel it in your gut that a normal progression, a common schedule, a generally prescribed way of doing things feels wrong, and take action by customizing your approach, you are hacking, aren't you?

 

Not difficult to achieve or exceed, given the opportunities open to homeschoolers these days. We just have to stick our necks out a bit and seize those opportunities. It seems that it's hard for people with fixed mindsets to wrap their heads around though.

 

ETA: adding that it also depends on the homeschooling budget of course. The one day a week nature activity he alludes to might be affordable or even free in some areas or if the parent has time or is an expert at such things or if you live close to woods etc. The last time I checked, a similar program that I will have to drive an hour or more to cost about $2000 - $3000 for a school year, more than we can afford. We make do in that area by driving to a nature reserve a little closer and spending time kayaking/ walking etc.

[Chrysalis Academy]

Yeah, Quark, I have to confess that the first thing I thought when I watched this a few months ago was "Must be nice to be able to afford to do all that stuff. . . "  There are no end of cool extracurriculars that I would love to provide my kids and they would love to do, but it's not in the budget . . . because I homeschool them instead of working.  I have to believe the tradeoff is worth it, but it's a lot of pressure on a mom!

 

 

[quark]

I have to believe the tradeoff is worth it, but it's a lot of pressure on a mom!

 

True!

 

Sometimes though we get lucky. For a few years I was able to bring together a group of similarly enthusiastic and chemistry passionate kiddos for a high level chemistry class. The sort of exploratory experience similar to Oliver Sacks and other chemistry hungry young boys of the 1930s-1950s. We were more than ready and willing to blow things up. Almost every person I spoke to when I was looking for a suitable venue kept saying we couldn't make it happen, that we would need insurance for accidents so no one will host us and that we would have to pay lots of $$ to someone willing to teach it. They couldn't imagine how much we parents were also willing to help to make it happen. And the lab materials cost us only $130+ (we split the cost among 4 families) and the mentor was an affordable $10-$15 per meeting per family depending on how many people turned up (he did it for the love of teaching). We had a (very brave) parent willing to host us in her larger living room! It was lovely while we could make it last.

 

This was when the kiddos were 7-8 years old and understanding the concepts with little effort. Chemistry is no longer a passion for kiddo like it was then but if we could do it again it would easily rival what our local high school does for chemistry. I think it really helps when the kids want it very much, otherwise it's hard on parents to be the driving force (and keep driving to long distance venues too) and we start to look pushy.

 

Look hard enough, want it hard enough and sometimes you will be surprised by what can happen.

 

[rzberrymom]

True!

 

Sometimes though we get lucky. For a few years I was able to bring together a group of similarly enthusiastic and chemistry passionate kiddos for a high level chemistry class. The sort of exploratory experience similar to Oliver Sacks and other chemistry hungry young boys of the 1930s-1950s. We were more than ready and willing to blow things up. Almost every person I spoke to when I was looking for a suitable venue kept saying we couldn't make it happen, that we would need insurance for accidents so no one will host us and that we would have to pay lots of $$ to someone willing to teach it. They couldn't imagine how much we parents were also willing to help to make it happen. And the lab materials cost us only $130+ (we split the cost among 4 families) and the mentor was an affordable $10-$15 per meeting per family depending on how many people turned up (he did it for the love of teaching). We had a (very brave) parent willing to host us in her larger living room! It was lovely while we could make it last.

 

This was when the kiddos were 7-8 years old and understanding the concepts with little effort. Chemistry is no longer a passion for kiddo like it was then but if we could do it again it would easily rival what our local high school does for chemistry. I think it really helps when the kids want it very much, otherwise it's hard on parents to be the driving force (and keep driving to long distance venues too) and we start to look pushy.

 

Look hard enough, want it hard enough and sometimes you will be surprised by what can happen.

 

Definitely!! I'm always in awe of the knowledge, expertise and willingness among the homeschool parents I meet! A group of us could no longer afford an outdoor program (where you pay $50/day and then stand around while the kids do their thing), the kids were still begging to go, so a biologist and naturalist parent took it on for free for our little group. My oldest was begging for a girls' science club, and so we found two parents with PhDs to take it on for free--a university professor in environmental engineering does the physics stuff and a fish sciences researcher for a Native American inter-tribal council does the life sciences stuff. A friend with a group of 12-13 year olds convinced the math department at the local university to take on the kids as a project--once/week, they get a free math class with a highly respected professor and the grad students he's working with. It's just amazing what's out there, especially when the kids are eager and excited!

[Runningmom80]

Yes, there was a comment on the video on facebook, "Priviledge talking to privildge about priviledge."  I definitely can't afford to do all of those things either, but the general idea I can get behind. 

 

But admittedly, I'm still chipping away at the whole "school at home" habit.

[acurtis75]

I watched the video myself first and then again with dd and dh. We all enjoyed it. I did see the negative comments. I think geography makes a big difference on what is available at a reasonable cost. I have family in Colorado and a lot of what he talked about could be done there for little or no cost.

 

Dh and I speak in front of groups frequently and I was impressed with his presentation skills. I don't think he was implying that this was his original idea but rather just presenting how his family does school. Since I am moving further and further away from just "doing school" at home I think I enjoyed this presentation a lot more than I would have a few years ago.

 

Dd said she wants to be both awesome and happy when she grows up no matter what she decides to "do"

[Runningmom80]

I'll also admit that i teared up a little when he talked about being thankful that his mom didnt cave to peer pressure.


Ok, going to hide under a rock now.

[quark]

I'll also admit that i teared up a little when he talked about being thankful that his mom didnt cave to peer pressure.

 

 

Ok, going to hide under a rock now.

 

I was going to write this yesterday but forgot in the crush of a busy day. Please don't take my response upthread as negative criticism. I didn't mean it that way at all. I just wanted to point out to anyone watching the video and with younger kids and wondering if they are doing the right thing, that what the boy and his family are doing is achievable albeit with some careful budgeting for those of us who are working with tighter budgets (mine is only moderately tight by the way, I'm sure there are others with even tighter budgets than mine). Also the fact that if it is the right thing for this young man doesn't mean it's right for everyone else.

 

If you are like me, you might be one of those people who think that you are not going to be good at giving your kids more. When we were first starting out and people shared inspiring videos like this one, I would get so inspired but also immensely doubtful of my ability to carry it off. I could never see myself doing all these wonderfully out of the box things due to my very traditional upbringing and schooling. Three, four years later I realize that it can be done and you don't have to be some super mom with spectacular, prodigy kids to achieve cool, meaningful education. It's a lot to do with wanting it badly enough I think. And being willing to take the risk and make mistakes.

 

Yes, I think it's awesome that his mom pushed through. Although I love reading homeschool e-lists, there is also a lot of pressure within certain groups to conform. It takes courage to not cave in. Kudos to her.

[FairProspects]

I think a lot of it is keeping your eyes open, finding others who value the same educational experiences as you, and then teaming up with those people to make it happen. It seems like so much of this is networking. Finding that person who knows the mathematician and can get them to your area once a week. Or the engineer up the street who also wants his kids to have these kinds of experiences and has a colleague who wants to run small group engineering classes. I remember my mom sending me to my friend's house once a week after school where her physicist father ran science demos and classes. When you team up with others who also want these experiences you really can make a lot happen. :)

 

ETA: In fact, I realized the other day that we already knew most of the Davidson kids in our area. We found each other because we were all looking for similar educational experiences for our kids and had networked our way into meeting and working on the same activities.

[FairProspects]

Of course, that is not to say that networks aren't socio-economically based, because obviously they are. But I think many people can put out feelers at a local library, a homeschool group, or science museum to see if others are interested in some of the same opportunities.