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sponsored by a grant
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Laurel Springs Independent Study Program
 Quick Support Sign Up In my family, there is no clear
distinction between volunteering and living; we work to help others, and for good causes,
simply because we are able. Our children's exposure to volunteering began while visiting
my grandmother in the nursing home. At age 3, Caitlín often helped Grandma-who was
completely blind-eat lunch. With as much care as a toddler could muster, Caitlín put the
spoon to Grandma's mouth, telling her what to expect in each bite. Afterward, she shared
her interests and ideas with her great grandmother. Caitlín's experience familiarized her
with aging, and caring for elderly people.
 As Caitlín and Laurel grew, we began volunteering to monitor a
bluebird trail. Over the past six years we have seen dozens of bluebird pairs successfully
raise and fledge over 200 nestlings. This led us to attend a workshop in which we happily
built several bluebird nest boxes used to establish or reclaim other trails in the area.
The girls and I also participated in a presentation on bluebirds and trail monitoring, to
inform the employees of the historic site on which our trail is located. Our trail's role
in the increase of the local bluebird population led to the addition of bluebird
interpretation at the site.
  Monitoring the bluebird trail has become simply part of family life,
one of our spring and summer activities. The rewards are
intangible: the pleasure of watching the nestlings grow; the excitement of seeing a flash
of blue; the friendly greeting of familiar employees at the site; a close-up glimpse of a
bald eagle.
  Our growing interest
in bluebird-friendly environments brought us to creating a Certified Backyard Wildlife
Habitat in our yard. We find it enjoyable to provide local wildlife with food, water,
shelter and places to raise young. Through it we have learned much about animals' needs
and ways, and have beautified our surroundings, through plantings of wildlife-attracting
flowers and fruits, and the addition of birdbaths, birdhouses and feeders.
Of course our offerings summoned birds and small mammals to
our yard, the sightings of which have evoked much excitement and pleasure. The increase in
the local wildlife population has caused us to occasionally rescue injured, sick and
orphaned birds or mammals. Sadly, many of the birds we have rescued have been too sick or
injured to survive. But knowing their fragility makes us appreciate the successes more.
We often think on the baby robins that we rescued a few
years ago. The tree holding the nest had blown down in a storm. Although the children and
I did our best to remake a nesting site, the mother abandoned the young. Two had been
killed by the fall, but the remaining pair was vigorous. With the guidance of a wildlife
rehabilitator, we raised the robins until they were ready to leave the nest. Caitlín,
Laurel and I watched in fascination as-yet unable to fly-the nestlings ran off and were
adopted by a pair of robins having young of a similar age. Since then, a robin builds a
nest very close to our house every year. We delight in imagining she is one of the
nestlings that we rescued. My family's "volunteer" efforts are far from being
limited to environmental issues. Our work includes involvement in the local community,
from helping an elderly woman clean out her apartment to assisting neighbors with clearing
heavy debris after a storm, mowing the lawn for a neighbor who suffered a heart attack,
and providing periodic displays at the nearby library. These activities initiated interest
in community-building, and goodwill between our neighbors and ourselves-some of whom used
to think homeschoolers are weird, but now see us as an important part of the community.
Being with me most of the time, Caitlín and Laurel have
experienced "volunteering" through my efforts in assisting a local crisis center
and facilitating a homeschooling support group. My daughters set up for meetings, help put
the furniture back at meeting's end, add color to the fliers that announce the group, and
have spoken to visitors at our group's Open House. In addition, both girls helped with the
fundraiser yard sale that benefited the Virginia Home
Education Association and the National Home Education Network.
We have received much in return for our contributions: the
satisfaction of knowing we can contribute to the wellbeing of others, and to making the
world a little nicer; a sense of community; and pride in being involved in something
larger than oneself. In addition, Caitlín and Laurel consider assisting others as a
normal, natural part of living. Fine lessons indeed.
© 2000 Shay Seaborne.
All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the newsletter of the Virginia Home
Education Association.
 Faces of Homeschooling
 "Developing Your Own Support
Group"
by Lauren
Brenner-Katz, homeschooling parent
This homeschooling mom says, ""What about socialization?"
"How can I find a support group?"Ah, isn't this what everyone wants to know! "How do your
kids socialize when they don't go to school?" It's the top question asked not just by
prospective homeschoolers, but also by curious bystanders who seem to imagine us
cloistered alone at home, isolated from what they call 'The Real World.'"
The Truth About Butterflies
 Rick Mikula is called the
Grandfather of Butterfly Farming in the United States. Rick has also been 'tagging
butterflies for the last two decades as on going research into the mysterious migration of
the monarch butterfly. In this interview and essay from Rock you can learn about the
importance of butterflies, basics facts and misconceptions about butterflies and how you
can get involved in butterfly preservation.
Waiting for Unschooling to Work
by Shay Seaborne
Unschooling is a process, and I'm still working on setting
myself free from the ideas ingrained through my years of public school education. It has
been difficult to un-learn what I was taught about education. Remarkably, the best
homeschooling advice I received came when my first child was a baby. I've finally stopped
expecting my children's interests to take hold according to my objectives. It has taken a
great amount of patience, this waiting for unschooling to work.
Faces of Home Education Profile
"Lights! Camera!
Guinea Pigs!
Films by Alyssa
Buecker,
High School Homeschooled Filmmaker
hosted by Joanne Spataro, FreshAir TeenZine
  Alyssa Buecker is an extraordinary teenager. She’s a very
talented up-and-coming movie director, with a cast of unique actors. This
home-schooler’s future as a director blossomed when she combined her love of
directing and animals. Alyssa is the producer, editor, director, and writer for all her
films! See a bit more on her unique films which have gained prominence at HBO, Nickelodeon
and the Cannes Film Festival!!
Bagel Bird Feeder
 These terrific birdfeeders are a excellent project for children at home and in
the classroom. One crafter named Tensie said, "We have a 4, 3, 1 and newborn in this
household. We love to watch the birds and clouds and the neighborhood resident
squirrel. This feeder is good because it does not put SO much seed out in the yard
that I am growing it all IN the yard when they drop it all on the grass. Plus our
little guys can do this almost by themselves! They love to be IN control of an
activity sometimes."
Is homeschooling tax deductible?
by Ann Zeise
  Sadly no, but this
is a wonderful article that outlines IRS regulations with some wonderful links. Learn
about the "Education Savings Act for Public and Private Schools" which is one
way some money may be sheltered for homeschool-related expenses, if you plan in advance
while your children are small. She also has some wonderful tips on how to homeschool on a
shoestring. |
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you know that we have support groups for homeschooling, crafts, recipes, health and more?
Find out more
 
more bird books
FREE birdfeeders
 
Homeschoolers'
Success Stories
Interview with author
Linda Dobson
 
Home
Learning: Year by Year
Home
learning Sourcebook
Meet the author
Rebecca Rupp
"The
Truth About Curricula"
more Curriculum Guides
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