And now for something new, and purdy cool. A homeschool parent just started a new organization called Southwest Home Educators' Association, which focuses on connecting us in the western states of California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico. SHEA describes itself as: "A support group that encourages participation in sports, clubs, workshops, field trips, and co-op classes and love social opportunities! Through trained Area Leaders, SHEA will strive to bring you the warmth of a local support group, combined with the strength of a regional organization."

On the Home Education Leaders' Place of Colorado (HELP_CO) list, Angeline Rock, homeschool mom and SHEA Field Trip Coordinator wrote an introduction:

"Recently, a friend of mine organized a new 6-state home educators association and asked me to be field trip coordinator (probably because I am so passionate about getting homeschooled kids together, lol).

My duties will include traveling around the 6 member-states and visiting with group leaders. We want to promote home education on all levels, and hear about your concerns and share your enthusiasm.

I wanted our first field trip to be a big event – to kick off the "year" (most homeschoolers don't have a start and stop year, but some do). I think Disneyland is pretty big! So, our first Not-Back-To-School-Days has been booked for September 24 and 25, 2007 and we are taking part in Disneyland's new Youth Education Series.

Please feel free to email me with any comments – and I hope to meet some of you real soon at one of your activities, or one of ours!"

Good luck Angeline and SHEA! Hats off! We need more energy like this!

Homeschool BUZZ
More up to the minute news.

Tags: homeschooling | unschooling | homeschool conference | parenting

I've got lots to blog about (and I will get to it, really) but there's not enough time in the day lately, and my get up and go left for vacation. Somewhere in the Andes, I think. At least I hope it's in the Andes. It's cooler there.

In the meantime, this just in from the HELP-CO list. Anybody got a little moxy and a spare building?

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"I've been contacted by Amanda Bennett of Amanda Bennett's Unit Studies and Jane Lambert of Five in a Row who would like to have a seminar here in Colorado in September or October.

Both have daughters in Colorado and wish to share part of their time here helping the homeschool community. I'm looking for help with pulling this off. There is a need for a strong facility coordinator who would help to find a facility to have this at, as well as a very organized registration person."

Please contact Paula if you are interested in helping. We need to get going on this by the end of July!

Homeschool BUZZ
More up to the minute news.

What Else Counts As Curriculum?
The better question is: what doesn't?

Tags: homeschool conference | curriculum

I'm still working on articles for the blog (better know as yet more of Cindy's Musings - you do come here to read my crazy babblings, don't you?), but I have a million topics on the brain, and, truth be told, every article takes me forever. Well okay, not forever. But, a long time.

In the meantime, the summer is not quiet. Far from it. We've got goodies going on all over the place . . . .

Ask A Homeschooler! July 29th. Have lots of questions about homeschooling? Well, here's your chance! Read more . . .

Homeschool Conference at The Hangout. August 18th. Workshops, panels, a vendor hall and a Kids' Track. Read more . . .

Homeschool Learning Cruise. September 9th. Wanna join Mary Ann "The Homeschool Mom" on a homeschooling cruise to Bermuda? Read more . . .

Knowledge Master Open. December 2007 - March 2008. An international academic contest for 5th-12th graders. A database of 142,000 different questions! Read more . . .

Tags: Home School | unschooled | conference | kids

New Mexico Homeschool Community's "Not Back To School Fair"
Friday, August 17, 207
Taylor Ranch Community Center
Time: 9-2PM (set up can begin as early as 8:15AM)
Cost: FREE (Free for both vendors and visitors! Can you believe it?)

Space available: 6' fold out tables; access to electricity if needed.

20 tables reserved for families who wish to swap and/or sell their curriculum and new/used materials. Families who have businesses as well as homeschool are welcome to bring materials to advertise on these same tables. Another 20-25 tables are reserved for community resources such as museums or homeschool friendly businesses, local teachers, etc.

Outside of book learning the world is our classroom and there are so many choices out there for learning that you just never know what will work for you!

For more info, email Tabitha or call her at (505) 792-4110. For even more fun stuff, like a chance to win Bobby McFerrin concert tickets or review a new PBS show and receive a free DVD, check out Tabby's cool 'n groovy New Mexico Homeschool Community blog.


Mentoring the Classics
June 29-30, 2007
Castle Rock, Colorado

Amy Bowler, a homeschooling mom, will be hosting George Wythe College of Cedar City, Utah, at a professional seminar entitled "Face to Face with Greatness: World Views and the Emerging State", an intensive, two-day event which studies in-depth the foundations of freedom, and how religion, societal traditions and the development and breakdown of civilizations effect history.

Find a great leader in history, and you will nearly always find two central elements of their education—classics and mentors. Great men and women of history, studied other great men and women.

In preparation for this seminar, participants will read "The Fourth Turning" by William Strauss and Neil Howe, as well as a selection of readings from Frederick Bastiat, Samuel P. Huntington, Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, and others.

It includes a hands-on workshop on how to mentor the classics. George Wythe professors will give presentations and attendees will participate in colloquia on the readings, and diagram founding documents. Colorado certified teachers can receive 1 credit hour toward re-certification through attendance at this seminar.

For further information, or to reserve your seat and receive the reading materials in time, email Amy Bowler or call 719-528-6424.

Even more events . . .

Tags: conference | Home School