Volume I  Issue No. 3
January 2008

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CHNzine Features

Trust the Parents

Who Will Be Attending Expo 2008

Graduate at Expo 2008!

The Legal Letter You Must Not Ignore!

Expo-tastic!

A Path
(Re) Discovered

Homeschooling and the Media

Support Group Tips

How to Stay Warm at Park Days!

From the
CHN Outreach Committee

"My grandmother wanted me to have an education, so she kept me out of school. "

--- Margaret Mead

Contact the Editor

Contact CHN

Have you joined the Grapevine?

CHN members private email list!

All current CHN members with Family Memberships are invited!

Some of the benefits of joining the Grapevine are:

Private online elist where you can easily meet other CHN members

Used curriculum sales every Friday - buy or sell!

Private chats on the new Grapevine Chat! We will announce regular topics and invite CHN Grapevine members to join in the chat

Tie Dye Tips
by Pia Williams

I try a different tie-dye technique everytime I do it. It's always a new experience.

1) Buy a kit - most craft stores carry tie-dye kits. This is the easiest way to start - with everything you need packed in one box

2) Look on-line for different techniques. Shaving cream, scrunch method, pot dying. experiment.

3) Tie-dye doesn't have to be a bunch of *wild* colors. Find colors that suit your personality. The year I tried the "scrunch" method, I mixed fucshia and brown. BEAUTIFUL!

4) Give it to the kid. The last shirts that needed to be made, I simply didn't have the time or energy to work on. So - I covered our outside table with plastic; put child into some old oversized t-shirts, secured some latex gloves on her and gave her the mixed dye bottles. Then I stood back. In 5 minutes she'd squirted on the dye exactly the way SHE wanted and was tickled pink with *her* creation. It was the easiest tie-dye ever!

Don't be put off by tie-dye! It's your creation, make it your own. Mix your colors to reflect you - and know that you are wearing your own art. Once you try it - you'll never look at tie-dye the same way again!

More great tie dye ideas!

Dharma Trading Company

Paula Burch

Homeschool T shirts are here!
They would make a great
Tie Dye Project!

This is Jake (age 5) creating a masterpiece with his visiting flat friends Bubbles and Maggie!

On our way to park day!
Shannon, age 4 and Nicolas, age 7 model their favorite tie-dyed t-shirts

Let's Make Some
Tie Dye!

Lilly in her tie dye at the fair!

We made them ourselves!

Tie Dye Homeschoolers at Disneyland!

Fantasyland here we come!

Space Mountain looks too scary!

No Mess Tie Dye
by Lee Sowers

This is our favorite way to decorate t-shirts, pillowcases, etc. All you need is:

* a selection of color Sharpie permanent markers (black and some other dark colors don’t work well)
* rubbing alcohol
* eye dropper
* cups or drinking glasses (various sizes will make a more interesting design)
* rubber bands
* freshly laundered t-shirt or pillowcase

Choose the area you’d like decorate and place a cup underneath, securing with a rubber band. Using the markers, make a small design. With the eye dropper, drop about 8-10 drops of rubbing alcohol into the middle of your design and watch the colors flow!

More drops of alcohol will make the colors run even more, but don’t flood the design. Let dry for a few minutes, then move to another area of the shirt and repeat.

When finished, put it in the dryer for about 15 minutes to set the colors. More information can be found where we first learned about the process (our favorite science site): Steve Spangler Science.

CHNzine credits:

Layout and design:
Karin Miller
Loren Mavromati

Photos:
Pia Williams
Michelle Huelle
Melissa Zawrotny
Shirley Hansen
Lee Sowers
Nelian Harriman
Karin Miller

We love stories about homeschooling, anything written by kids, pictures of homeschooling adventures and other inspirational homeschooling ideas!

Submit articles, photos and ideas to the CHNzine team

  California Homeschool Network

What It Is, and Why YOU Should Attend!

If you’re wondering why you should go, consider it your teacher training for the year, just like the public school teachers! The Expo offers much more than training, but we think it helps to remind you that you’ll be inspired at the Expo, and you’ll learn tips that will make your homeschool year easier. You’ll also be rejuvenated and ready for another great year, and maybe you’ll receive the encouragement you need so that you don’t give up! If you bring family members, including grandparents, there will be greater understanding, and perhaps increased family harmony. Everyone’s experience is different at the Expo, because their reasons for attending are different.

Who Will Be Attending
Expo 2008

Moms alone.

Moms and Dads alone.

Mom, Dad, the kids, and grandparents!

Some will be new homeschoolers.

Some will be old timers.

Some do school at home, some unschool, and some are eclectic.

Some homeschool for religious reasons, and others do not.

If that sounds like the entire homeschooling community, that’s what it is!

Graduate at the Expo
August 3rd, 2008!

If you have a graduating high school senior this year, be sure to check the information about CHN’s graduation ceremony

You’ll be able to read about the graduation requirements, and also note that in 2008, the fee will be waived for any graduates who are also attending the Expo, and register before May 1st!

One audience member wrote after the 2007 ceremony:

"I had never attended a homeschool graduation before and did last night. Boy, how awesome!! It went so smooth and was so beautiful. I was completely overwhelmed by the pictures that were put together. Seeing some of these teens that I have known forever graduate was very emotional for me. Also, all the people and family and friends that attended, it was just great."

Even if you don’t have children graduating, you are welcome to come and observe this moving event. And, if you have seniors, consider honoring them in this way. It’s an important milestone for the entire family!

From the CHN Legal Desk

The Legal Letter You Must Not Ignore!

What is a SARB?

SARB stands for School Attendance Review Board. SARBs were created in 1974 by the California legislature so that schools could address attendance issues for students who were deemed truant. The idea was that several representatives of youth-serving agencies would serve on the board to help the student and parent, with the goal to keep the student in school. The SARB has the power to refer the student or parent to the court, which is why some families have their case given to the District Attorney.

A key point for all homeschoolers to remember is that SARB hearings are to induce good attendance in public school. If your child is in a home based private school, then you do not need to participate in a SARB hearing. And, contrary to the legal description of a SARB, it’s not helpful and it’s not friendly. One of the representatives may be a police officer, complete with weapon, designed to make sure you comply. Some SARB hearings are even held at police stations!

What do you do if you receive a SARB letter?

While it’s nice to know that you shouldn’t receive a SARB letter or subpoena because your child is not enrolled in a public school, every year some homeschoolers do receive them. Usually it’s the families who have just begun homeschooling, and the school still feels ownership over the child. SARB notifications are usually sent certified mail, and they must be responded to immediately. CHN is happy to respond on your behalf, if you call CHN at 800-327-5339 and then fax all documentation to our 24 hour fax, 866-381-8239 (or scan and email to CHN's legal committee). Some letters will seem scary and threatening; we’ve seen all kinds of statements and can address each issue with the authorities. Unless we intervene before your meeting, you are required to be there, so this is not a piece of mail that you can ignore and hope it will go away. Contact us immediately!

What will CHN do?

When we receive the documentation from the homeschooling family, along with proof that they are homeschooling, such as a copy of their PSA, we phone and FAX the school district, explaining that the family will not be attending because the child is not attending their public school. Usually the school will want the PSA documentation, which we will forward. And, we’ll talk to them about the laws as they apply to private homebased schools. One school recently thanked us for helping out. We’d helped them in the past, and they’d lost our contact info, but were hoping we would contact them and help again! This is very rewarding to know that maybe CHN is helping not only the current family in the hot seat, but other families in the future!

Feedback from Expo 2007 – It was “Expotastic!”

I'm gushing - and I can't help it - but it's not without warrant. The 2007 CHN Expo ROCKED!

My dh enjoyed the "Dad's discussion" on Friday - I think he finally understands the connection between his support and the success of our home school!

I loved running into old friends and meeting so many new ones!!!! Sharing experiences is what the conference is all about for me!!!

I just wanted to say what a totally awesome event the 2007 CHN Expo was this weekend! . . .If you missed this year - I'd strongly suggest you start planning and saving for next year's event now - you don't want to miss another opportunity like this!

By your actions you make obvious your commitment to supporting the availability of the advantages of homeschooling to more and more kids. Thank you so much for being there.

I had great fun, too! The sessions that I went to were fabulous. However, I think the most fun I had was during some of the volunteering that I did. It was great to get a chance to chat with lots of different CHNers. What amazing, fun, relaxed, kind people!

It is most heartening to know that these people are bringing up the next generation!

I've been to many an Expo and/or convention in my life. This was the best. There was a connection. People were warm and friendly, and helpful. It was as if I had known them all my life.

A Path (Re)Discovered

UCR Professor Frank Vahid discusses how he and his wife stumbled upon the path of home-schooling – and never left it.

by Frank Vahid

My wife, Amy, and I didn’t originally set out to home-school our kids. But we were surprised at the opposition by our 5-year-old son’s principal to our planned three-week China trip.

“That’s too much time away from school. He’ll be considered truant. Don’t you care about his education?” she said.

In fact, we viewed the trip as a splendid educational opportunity. But it seemed this principal, and many people, viewed classrooms and books as being the only sources of real education, versus merely being tools of mass education.

So we tried a private school for a few months, but found the homework and testing to be excessive. Thus, like hikers diverted off their charted path by an unforeseen barrier, we veered away from classroom-based schooling and hesitantly embarked on a lesser-known approach – home-schooling.

Like most people, we had concerns. Will our son be properly socialized? Will he make good academic progress? Will we know how to teach him? Will home-schooling be too hard on Amy or strain the family? But like diverted hikers finding their new path delightful, we discovered home-schooling to be surprisingly effective and fun. Socialization opportunities were plentiful through sports teams, neighborhood kids, cousins, religious organization activities, family friends and more. Academic progress was great, mostly due to self-paced learning, subject choice and hands-on experiences. And home-schooling was a lot of fun – the same joy and bonding we experienced when helping our children first learn to walk or recognize letters would be repeated over and over again as we helped them learn about planets, animals, states, negative numbers and so on.

This article is continued HERE

Homeschooling and the Media
- Loren Mavromati

Homeschoolers are very interesting to the media!

How many are there? Why do they do it? How do they do it? What do they believe? How do they vote? What do they buy? Journalists, marketers and researchers often contact California Homeschool Network wanting answers to these questions. They are trying to typify the homeschool community, define us, put us in a neat little box so they know what to expect of us. Without answers to these questions, we remain an unpredictable force. They can’t count on us to go in a certain direction. They don’t know how to begin to manipulate us.

We know that the answer to every one of these questions wouldn’t be a simple sentence. Each question would need a page long answer and even then we’d be leaving out some important details, so our answers to them are vague. We tell them there are no reliable statistics. There is no single mindedness among homeschoolers. But these answers don’t fit into the formula they need to calculate, so they _make_ it fit. They take what we say, interview a family or two, and make broad leaping conclusions about all homeschoolers. We generally read the end results and laugh. Or maybe we get angry and write back to correct the errors. But the damage is done. The public has a new tidbit of evidence about this mysterious group known as homeschoolers.

We’re taught only highly specialized materials to assist us in winning the Bees, right? We’re anti-social, over protective, isolationists, but wait, we’re all trying to shove our kids into college while they’re still in junior high. We’re all hippys, oh no, wait, we’re all conservatives.

Beyonce says she missed out on all her high school social opportunities because she was homeschooled. The fact that most homeschooled kids don’t live the life of a teen superstar, so they might actually have time to plan and attend a homeschool prom if they so desire, surely isn’t relevant here.

Doesn’t one of the presidential candidates homeschool his kids? So who do all homeschoolers support, Huckabee or Paul?

Will Smith’s kids are homeschooling by reading Plato in elementary school, so surely we must all be. Will and Jenny McCarthy both want to fix the public school system by starting their own publicly funded schools, that’s what all homeschoolers want to do, isn’t it?

It seems like common sense. Statistics produced from a group of homeschoolers who all happen to belong to a group that supports a particular religion aren’t necessarily representative of homeschoolers who don’t belong to that religious group. A homeschool family or two highlighted in an article about a presidential candidate does not translate to full support from the homeschool community for that candidate. A surge in homeschool sales of a particular curriculum does not necessarily mean all homeschoolers are using it. And yet the media, the researchers, the marketers, the public all need to be reminded of this. We’re not a homogenous group. Each of us makes decisions based on the beliefs and needs of our own families which may or may not coincide with decisions made by other homeschool families. The one thing we all have in common is that we don’t fit into the traditional school mold, but wait, some of us actually fit that mold rather nicely.

What they can’t get their minds around is that we’re people of all different colors and creeds carrying out our lives in many different ways for many different reasons. I guess individuality is a tough concept to grasp in this day and age.

Support Group Tips
- Karen Taylor

Four people responded to the November poll, saying that they wished they could find a great support group. While four may not seem like much, we think it's four too many, plus we know there are many more who also need help! Here are some tips that we hope will help those who responded, and others, get off to a great new year with a new support group (or a new and improved old group!).

* Start by checking CHN's support group page

* If you're looking for a group, and can't find one on the support group page, please ask for suggestions on the CHN list or the Grapevine (private, for CHN members only - contact CHN's membership chair to be added to the list). If you would prefer that no one know you are looking for a group (perhaps you want to leave the group you are currently participating in), privately email the moderators of the list and we will ask your question for you, anonymously.

* Have you given existing local groups a fair chance? It takes visiting a number of times to get a feel for a group, and to determine if you will fit in. You may not be totally comfortable the first month, and there's always a chance that the one time you attended, you sat next to a very outspoken person who didn't reflect the rest of the group - maybe it was her once a year visit! You also need to jump right in and put your park day chair near the others, and be willing to join in the conversation even if it feels awkward. Remember that you may be sitting next to someone who is also new and both of you may be thinking the group is unfriendly because the other person isn't taking the first step in talking. Bottom line: don't be too quick to discard an entire group.

* Most groups don't have a welcome person whose job is to make you comfortable. And, many park day regulars are feeling as shy and awkward as the new person is. So, if you're the new one, you have the most at stake to make this work, so move out of your comfort zone for a few weeks; the reward of becoming a park day regular is worth it!

* If all else fails, consider starting a new support group, designed to fit your needs. Advertise at the library, on the CHN list and website, and soon others will be coming to your park day and thanking you for starting it! Feeling nervous about taking this leap? Just ask CHN and we'll help you. Also, asking a friend to do it with you can help a lot! If your problem is more specific, please share it on the CHN elist, or call Ruth at CHN's 800#: 800-327-5339.

There are a few homeschoolers who rely on the CHN list as their support group, because they live in isolated areas, or are unable to leave their homes often. However, most people, will be able to find other homeschoolers. It takes time, but it's worth it!

How to Stay Warm at Park Days!
- Karen Taylor

Are you missing out on park days because it’s cold? Children benefit from a weekly park day, regardless of the weather, and most love it, but it’s often not as easy for their moms to muster up the courage to face blustery weather! While the children are staying warm by running around with their friends, the moms are usually sitting and freezing. With some planning, it’s possible to stay warm at park days so that you aren’t stuck at home all winter! Your park days might not last as long in the winter, but there’s no need to miss out on fun, and an hour or so of running around in the fresh air will get the wiggles out, and keep everyone from developing cabin fever!

Pick a warm spot to meet
While those shade trees are nice in the summer, they aren’t welcome once it becomes cold. Look for a new spot in the park,that shelters you from wind and gives you more sun for warmth. Move off the grass and on to the playground. Yes, put your park day chairs on the bark – you’ll feel the warmth radiate from the bark, and if the sun is shining, you may become hot even on a cold day!

Dress for warmth
There’s a reason why people used to wear caps to bed in the days before central heating. We lose a lot of heat through our head, so cover up! It doesn’t matter much if you use a scarf, sun hat or knitted hat, you’ll be warmer with a head covering. Bring a scarf and gloves too, and dress in layers so that you can adjust depending on the weather. Long underwear is a must too, and it’s becoming so popular, you can now find it in many stores. Whether you choose silk or thermal cotton, that extra layer will make you much more comfortable. Bring a blanket as an additional cover – all you need is a yard or two of fleece from the fabric store. It’s ready to go off the bolt, and doesn’t need hemming.

Winter Campfire
If there’s a barbeque at your park, consider a winter campfire to warm your park day. You might want it weekly, or it might be a fun special event to roast hot dogs and marshmallows in the middle of winter! You’ll find the dreariest of days can become fun filled!

Bring Your Own Warmer
Microwave heating bags are perfect for park days. Put them in the microwave right before you leave and wrap them in a blanket or put them in an insulated bag to hold the heat until you get to the park. Warmers make great craft projects and are a good beginner’s sewing project for you and your children (see directions for making them in this issue). Anyone with access to a sewing machine can make them. If you don’t have a sewing machine, show the directions to someone who does and ask them to make them for you. Maybe some older kids would like to make them to earn some money.

Rain
While a warm spring rain might be fun, rain in the winter isn’t, no matter how much you bundle up. If you expect that it’s going to rain sometime this winter where you live, plan now for rainy alternate park days. Depending on what is available in your community, you might meet at a fast food inside playground, a community center, a park, or a business that offers fun inside entertainment. Most of us don’t have the space to host an entire park day at our homes, but maybe with preplanning, the group can split up on rainy days so that small groups of friends of similar ages can spend a day playing games.

Why Bother?
So, why bother with cold weather park days? If we wait long enough, the weather will get nice again! As true as that is, there are such benefits to meeting year round. It’s memory making for the kids, and we’re only talking about a few quickly passing years before they grow up – they will long remember the fun they had, though! Running in fresh air, even if it’s cold (unless there’s asthma or other health issues), clears the brain, so everyone will be thinking more clearly and able to learn more. Then there’s the socialization issue, for Mom as well as the wound up kids who need to get out and stretch. The winter months will pass faster if you remain in contact with your park day friends, and with a little planning, you’ll be warm and comfortable!

Election News

Three candidates have submitted their statements for consideration for the three open trustee positions this year. Each has been verified by the Membership Chair. Since we have no contested seats and no bylaw amendments, the bylaws allow us to forego the balloting procedure. Members who prefer that the Election Committee hold a formal balloted vote may request this via email or regular mail to the election committee. Comments will be accepted until February 20th. On February 25th, the Election Committee will tally the comments and proceed with a formal vote if 5% of the voting membership has requested it. Candidate statements are available for view by members in the file section of the CHN Grapevine. Or members may request by email or regular mail that the statements be forwarded directly to them.

CHNzine past issues

November 2007

October 2007

Wardlow Park Homeschoolers

This was our 2nd annual Holiday Celebration at The Hansens. We played music (piano, cellos, guitars, ukulekes, drums), feasted on a delicious potluck dinner, enjoyed a Scandinavian dance performance and then we all learned some International Folk Dances
We are looking forward to next year's party and wondering why we don't do this more often!

High Desert Homeschoolers Holiday fun!

Important
Expo Links

Registration and information about the earlybird specials!

Expo FAQ Page

Used Curriculum and Children’s Entrepreneurial Sale

Hotel Registration Information

Register early while there are still rooms available!

Great quote:

" All I am saying in this book can be summed up in two words: Trust Children. Nothing could be more simple, or more difficult. Difficult because to trust children we must first learn to trust ourselves, and most of us were taught as children that we could not be trusted.

-John Holt, in "How Children Learn"

Antelope Valley Roserock

Holiday cookie baking

Holiday Parties

A gift exchange - how fun!

Bingo!

Learning the Electric Slide

Limbo Limbo!

Musical Chairs

A wonderful violin recital!

"My job is not to teach at all, but to find the opportunities for my kids to learn. NOT knowing something can be an advantage, as it reminds me of the wealth of resources out there in the community and world, if only we are willing to go look for them."
-David Albert, in "And the Skylark Sings with Me"

Results of the November CHNzine poll:

Support groups are important to homeschooling success -

22% belong to a great local support group
5% do not belong to a great support group, but wish they did
23% of the groups meet weekly for activities
13% go on group field trips
2% belong to a faith based support group
15% belong to an inclusive support group
1% belongs to an unschooling support group
19% say that their groups members use every kind of homeschool program under the sun!

Field trips

L.A. County Museum of Natural History

Upcoming Events:

(un)Official
Homeschool Day
at Disneyland
February 1st, 2008

CHN 2008 Family Expo
August 1st, 2nd & 3rd 2008

They say that that a single resolution can
positively and profoundly create lasting change in your life and help
to make the world a better place.

Keep warm at park day with this great winter craft that is a perfect beginning sewing project! Read about "How to Stay Warm at Park Days" in this issue, and then make some microwave warmers! A heating bag can be any size. If you can't sew, you can even make your bags by filling old tube socks and knotting the end! Two of the best grains to try out are whole corn (not popcorn) and buckwheat seeds. It is a good idea to freeze the grains first, so you won't have to worry about any little critters.

Tie them up with a ribbon for a great gift!

Fabric may be purchased, and you can often find colorful scraps in sale bins, or you may use leftover fabric scraps. This is an easy and economical craft that will be enjoyed at park days and at home! For more pictures, and detailed descriptions, visit DiamondThreadworks

Warm shoulders!

History of CHN

On January 8, 1994, twenty-eight dedicated homeschoolers met after a John Taylor Gatto speech, to discuss forming an inclusive, grassroots, member-driven organization. They envisioned a coalition of diverse people where religious and non-religious, conservative and liberal, packaged curriculum users and unschoolers could work together with mutual respect. Today, over a decade later, CHN is leading the way for homeschoolers, thanks to the vision of our founding members, and the willingness of today’s CHN members to continue what was started and to boldly expand with innovative ideas.