unschooling Archives - West River Academy

Mentes Brillantes: Una Educación Visionaria en Ecuador

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Monica Oliveros

Mentes Brillantes: Una Educación Visionaria en Ecuador

Posted on June 21, 2024

La fundación de Mentes Brillantes es una historia arraigada en el deseo de una madre de crear un entorno educativo único y de apoyo para su hija. Sonnia de Carrion, quien ha dedicado casi 30 años a la enseñanza, imaginó una educación diferente mientras estaba embarazada de su hija. Preocupada de que la educación sin escolarización pudiera ser una opción solitaria para su única hija, Sonnia buscó crear un entorno de aprendizaje seguro, acogedor y estimulante.

Mentes Brillantes comenzó como reuniones informales en 2019, donde la hija de Sonnia y los hijos de amigos cercanos, que compartían filosofías educativas similares, participaban en clases de inglés y cocina, y disfrutaban de mucho juego libre. El núcleo de esta iniciativa fue la alegría y el crecimiento observados entre estos niños, todos ellos compartiendo las mismas creencias religiosas como Testigos de Jehová.

De Reuniones Informales a una Escuela Próspera

Lo que comenzó como clases casuales rápidamente evolucionó hacia un programa más estructurado. Superando numerosos desafíos, Sonnia y su esposo descubrieron West River Academy, una institución que se alineaba perfectamente con su visión de una escuela segura basada en valores. Comenzando con 20 estudiantes, Mentes Brillantes se adaptó rápidamente a la pandemia, ampliando su alcance a 100 estudiantes en línea. La dedicación de Sonnia y su esposo, quienes inicialmente dirigían la escuela solos, fue fundamental en este crecimiento.

A medida que la escuela crecía, se contrataron más maestros y los estudiantes se dividieron en grados. Para 2022, Mentes Brillantes comenzó a buscar un lugar físico para clases presenciales. Actualmente, atienden a 315 estudiantes a través de una mezcla de modalidades presenciales, en línea y mixtas.

Los estudiantes desde Pre-Kinder hasta sexto grado pueden asistir a la escuela los lunes, martes y miércoles, mientras que las clases del jueves están disponibles en línea. Los viernes son libres para estos estudiantes. Para los estudiantes de séptimo a duodécimo grado, las clases presenciales se llevan a cabo los jueves y viernes, con la opción de asistir en línea. Tienen cursos en línea los martes y miércoles, y los lunes son libres. Todas las clases presenciales están disponibles en vivo, via online.

Un Enfoque Holístico de la Educación

La escuela enfatiza una educación holística, incorporando varias actividades extracurriculares como concursos de ortografía, obras de teatro, coreografías, concursos de arte, espectáculos de talentos musicales y excursiones. Estos eventos están diseñados para reforzar los talentos y conocimientos de los estudiantes, proporcionando una experiencia educativa integral.

La evaluación en Mentes Brillantes incluye cuatro exámenes al año, que pueden ser tomados en línea o en persona. Su programa de graduación es particularmente notable. En el duodécimo grado, los estudiantes seleccionan un tema que les apasiona y escriben un trabajo de investigación. Este proceso incluye fechas límite, reglas y reuniones en inglés para discutir los temas, guiados por tutores de proyectos. Si un estudiante no es competente en inglés, se le permite completar el proyecto en español.

Al final del año, los estudiantes presentan su investigación oralmente a jueces, resumiendo su investigación de todo el año y discutiendo sus hallazgos y conclusiones. Este ejercicio ayuda a desarrollar habilidades blandas esenciales como hablar en público y capacidades de investigación.

Construyendo una Comunidad de Apoyo

El viaje de Mentes Brillantes ha estado marcado por el crecimiento y el éxito, en gran parte atribuido a la comunidad de apoyo de educadores, estudiantes y padres, junto con el significativo apoyo de West River Academy. El compromiso de la escuela con cada estudiante y sus familias es evidente en cada aspecto de su enfoque.

La visión de Sonnia de Carrion ha florecido en una vibrante comunidad donde los estudiantes aprenden, juegan y crecen juntos. Con la bendición de Jehová, Mentes Brillantes ha visto graduarse a dos grupos de estudiantes en 2023 y 2024, un testimonio de la dedicación y efectividad de la escuela.

Mirando hacia el futuro, Mentes Brillantes tiene como objetivo continuar fomentando las habilidades y cualidades espirituales necesarias para que sus estudiantes tengan éxito en la vida. La colaboración con West River Academy y el fuerte sentido de comunidad prometen un futuro brillante para esta innovadora iniciativa educativa.

Mentes Brillantes: A Visionary Education in Ecuador

Posted on June 21, 2024June 21, 2024 by Monica Oliveros

Mentes Brillantes: A Visionary Education in Ecuador

Posted on June 21, 2024

The foundation of Mentes Brillantes is a story rooted in a mother’s desire to create a unique and supportive educational environment for her child. Sonnia de Carrion, who has dedicated nearly 30 years to teaching, envisioned a different kind of education while pregnant with her daughter. Concerned that unschooling might be a lonely option for her only child, Sonnia sought to create a nurturing, safe, and engaging learning environment.

Mentes Brillantes started as informal gatherings in 2019, where Sonnia’s daughter and children of close friends, who shared similar educational philosophies, participated in English and cooking classes and enjoyed ample free play. The core of this initiative was the joy and growth witnessed among these children, all of whom shared the same religious beliefs as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

From Informal Gatherings to a Flourishing School

What began as casual classes quickly evolved into a more structured program. Overcoming numerous challenges, Sonnia and her husband discovered West River Academy, an institution perfectly aligned with their vision of a values-based, safe school. Starting with 20 students, Mentes Brillantes adapted swiftly to the pandemic, expanding its reach to 100 online students. The dedication of Sonnia and her husband, who initially ran the school alone, was instrumental in this growth.

As the school grew, more teachers were hired, and students were divided into grades. By 2022, Mentes Brillantes began seeking a physical location for in-person classes. Currently, they serve 315 students through a mix of presential, online, and hybrid modalities.

Pre-K to 6th grade students can attend school on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, while Thursday classes are available online. Fridays are free for these students. For 7th to 12th-grade students, in-person classes are held on Thursdays and Fridays, with the option to attend online. They have online courses on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and Mondays are free. All in-person classes are available live and online.

A Holistic Approach to Education

The school emphasizes holistic education, incorporating extracurricular activities such as Spelling Bees, Theater plays, choreographies, Art Contests, Music talent shows, and Field trips. These events reinforce the students’ talents and knowledge, providing a well-rounded educational experience.

Assessment at Mentes Brillantes includes four annual tests, which can be taken online or in person. Their graduation program is particularly noteworthy. In the 12th grade, students select a topic they are passionate about and write a research paper. This process includes deadlines, rules, and meetings in English to discuss the topics, guided by project tutors. If a student is not proficient in English, they are allowed to complete the project in Spanish.

At the end of the year, students present their research orally to judges, summarizing their year-long investigation and discussing their findings and conclusions. This exercise helps develop essential soft skills such as public speaking and research capabilities.

Building a Supportive Community

The journey of Mentes Brillantes has been marked by growth and success, primarily attributed to the supportive community of educators, students, and parents and the significant support from West River Academy. The school’s commitment to each student and their families is evident in every aspect of its approach.

Sonnia de Carrion’s vision has flourished into a vibrant community where students learn, play, and grow together. With Jehovah’s blessing, Mentes Brillantes has seen two groups of students graduate in 2023 and 2024, a testament to the school’s dedication and effectiveness.

Looking forward, Mentes Brillantes aims to continue fostering the abilities and spiritual qualities necessary for their students to succeed in life. The collaboration with West River Academy and the strong sense of community promises a bright future for this innovative educational initiative.

Descubre el Centro de Aprendizaje Jaco – Un Grupo Imparable de WRA en Costa Rica

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Monica Oliveros

Descubre el Centro de Aprendizaje Jaco – Un Grupo Imparable de WRA en Costa Rica

Posted on April 9, 2024

La colaboración es clave en el Centro de Aprendizaje Jaco porque los maestros, padres y estudiantes trabajan estrechamente juntos para crear una experiencia de aprendizaje basada en la creatividad, la unidad y el aprendizaje natural. Han creado un hermoso espacio de aprendizaje que tiene diferentes secciones según el rango de edad. Tienen un espacio al aire libre, una sección deportiva en el segundo nivel, un área de música, divisiones dentro del edificio para separar las áreas de aprendizaje y llenan cada espacio con materiales de aprendizaje apropiados para cada edad, como libros, proyectos de manualidades y otros juegos y actividades educativas. Los padres y maestros trabajan bien juntos para diseñar temas de aprendizaje. Además de la curiosidad natural que viene con vivir en el clima tropical de Costa Rica, los padres y maestros priorizan las habilidades de pensamiento crítico y es muy importante enseñar a los estudiantes cómo pueden crear directamente un impacto positivo en su comunidad.

En marzo 2024, nuestra Directora Creativa, Rachel Nishikawa, tuvo la fantástica oportunidad de visitar y reunirse con la Directora, Brittany. Con tres de sus propios hijos inscritos, Brittany irradia una profunda dedicación hacia la filosofía de la desescolarización. Su calidez y compasión infinita son evidentes en cada interacción. Ella le dio a Rachel un recorrido por su vibrante centro de aprendizaje donde los niños prosperan a su propio ritmo.

Disfrutamos conectando con nuestros grupos alrededor del mundo porque es fascinante ver cómo la educación alternativa puede aplicarse en diversas culturas. En países donde retirar a los estudiantes del sistema educativo gubernamental es ilegal, las familias que se atreven a hacerlo corren el riesgo de ser arrestadas o denunciadas a los servicios sociales. Para reducir el riesgo de que esto suceda, las familias se inscriben en West River Academy y demuestran con sus documentos de Confirmación de Inscripción que están cumpliendo con las leyes de asistencia obligatoria al inscribirse en una escuela privada en los Estados Unidos. También pueden presentar transcriptos oficiales para demostrar que el estudiante ha completado niveles de grado. Los mundiescolares y otros expatriados que se unen a comunidades de aprendizaje pueden sentirse más seguros al estar inscritos en una escuela como West River Academy.

A simple way to do unschooling: deschooling the adult brain

Posted on June 27, 2023June 27, 2023 by Monica Oliveros

A simple way to do unschooling: deschooling the adult brain

Posted on June 27, 2023

When we start the path of unschooling, it is almost always through our children; for a long time, we think this is for them. The reality is that our children are just the excuse to be able to unschooled ourselves.

Unschooling the adult brain is an idea that comes to mind abstractly. It is an intuition and a feeling that we do not say out loud since we do not know how “correct” that phrase is. This feeling is the first indication that you started your journey to freedom.

Unschooling as a Philosophy of Life

It is typical to feel embarrassed by the idea of taking the reins of family education since part of our schooling starts from being ashamed of being free and feeling special and unique. Just thinking about it would be ridiculous and even selfish if we were to feel it. If you thought this way or are feeling this way, I hug you, and today we will take one more step toward that feeling.

Our children have spent less time in school, and in some cases, they have not been in school, so they are not the ones who have to adapt to their new life. They have to adjust to you, the schooled adult, to adjust to their new life.

This article is written so that you can embrace your adaptation as an adult towards unschooling, give yourself permission to go through your process as long as you need it, and not bring your children into your process.

Once we understand that unschooling is not an educational method, but a family lifestyle, you will see how everything flows at home and have the calm and freedom you were looking for when the idea first entered your brain. It takes time and is uphill after a year or so of trying. It is normal. Furthermore, it is part of the process.

Unschooling the adult brain

The first thing to know is how the brain learns. It does through external incentives, whatever they may be, and it also has such plasticity that it can adapt to any new motivation, which allows us to learn and unlearn with or without awareness of it.

The neurons receive the information, make it travel through the synapse, and if this same stimulus is repeated several times, then memories are forged.

Memories are not always forged by repetition. The brain needs to be excited to learn, and a strong emotional experience, whether pleasant or not, can fix specific learning in our brain just by feeling it once. Both schooling and unschooling provide and are enriched by this same process.

Unschooling stages

It does not matter if we start unschooling in our children’s adolescence or when they are two years old; our unschooling process is usually activated in the same order.

Throughout our school life, they have imbued us with different levels of fears and requirements to meet according to the stage we live in the school. We will transmit these fears to our children without the need to place them out loud but transform them into exacerbated security and protection.

For this first stage, which is ours… as adults, we will continuously scan our fears. Why continuously? Because the vast majority of our worries linked to school are unconscious and only surface when an action activates them; then there will be many, many fears that you will not be able to work on by only sitting in the living room of your house and with a coffee contemplating the horizon; it is more likely you will do it at the moment in which you interact with other people, mainly with your children.

The two levels of guilt and the limits

To start unlearning, learning, and relearning to forge our new lifestyle, we must be aware of our beliefs and how they govern us. To eliminate the guilt that unconsciously seeds fear in us.

To do this continuously, we have to realize that we took our children out of the educational system because several things did not resonate with us, and one of them is how far the system is from the personal reality of its students.

A reality not seen in the educational system is that adults have feelings, emotions and that we are not perfect. In fact, for the traditional educational method, showing our feelings and doubts in front of our children symbolizes weakness. The way to do this exercise is by showing our children that we are exploring this path with as many uncertainties as they are and that sometimes we can feel overwhelmed and do not understand why.

In this exercise, we are going to investigate two levels of guilt through these three questions:

Do I do it because they are my fears?
Do I do it because I am repeating patterns?
Do I do it because I set limits?

It is continuous, and although simple, it can be challenging to apply. With practice, it will come automatically.

Exercise to Unschool the Schooled Adult Brain

There are plenty of opportunities to put the exercise into practice. Whenever we feel the need to scold, punish, force, or guide our children without taking a moment of introspection about whether they need to be taught, it is the right time to start the exercise.

We have been told that we must act immediately; otherwise, the purpose of the correction is not understood. This is half true; if no explanation precedes the action, the child will not see the connection. Today, you will learn how to create that connection. This is all you need to do this exercise organically.

A characteristic example of the perfect moment to start the exercise is the following:

You go to the park, your kid goes up on the opposite side the game was designed for, and he is doing it in a hazardous way.

The first natural reaction of a schooled brain is to yell for him to get off and call him to tell him never to do that again, that it is very dangerous. A list of possible scenarios invites him to reflect so he never does it again. Does it sound familiar to you?

I invite you to do it differently, do not feel bad if you only think about it the first time (or first times) and do what I stated before. It is a process. Be nice to you. What I invite you to do is the following:

You call your child’s attention, maybe by shouting, maybe not. Trust the process, as it comes out instinctively. When he gets to you, explain to him that this makes you very nervous, that you haven’t been able to figure out how it makes you feel, and that if he can do his best not to play like that for today. Later, when you know how it made you feel, you explain it to him.

It is feasible that he will do it again after 15-20 minutes. You simply remind him of what you talked about. Children are very open and compassionate; it’s just that they still place their desires above other things, and their memory fails them in those cases. They don’t do it on purpose; that’s how human beings develop, don’t take it personally.

Desescolarizando el cerebro adulto 4 / deschooling the adult brain

In a reflective moment, that you don’t have to be in their care, either when bathing or before going to bed or waking up, ask yourself why you don’t want your child to use the game like this:

Do I react like this because it is my fear?

Try to visualize how your son maneuvers his body at home and how aware he is of his motor skills.

If at home he never does anything physical and you don’t know how he handles his body, or you have seen him being an enthusiast, but he always ends up falling, then your fear is for his safety and not for transference. You can go to the next question.

Now, if when you visualize your son, you realize that he is the miniature version of spider-man and that he is fully aware of his body and the rest of the objects; then the fear is yours, and you are adding to his backpack beliefs (who already has his fears and will have other worries as he lives) that are not his and that has nothing to do with his capabilities. In this case, you don’t need to continue investigating and talk to your son; tell him what you felt, and the conversation will be different, it will be about safety, about preparing before climbing a new object, and not about an a priori prohibition of an innate ability.

Do I react like this because I repeat patterns?

If you proceed to the second question, try to visualize yourself, your role as a mother/father, and what is expected of your position. Is this your way to protect your child unconditionally and no matter what? We can answer it quickly with these two options: 1) That unconditionally includes his personal decisions. 2) Or, on the contrary, you know you are there to accompany him.

Travel back to your childhood and remember a similar situation, whether as a child, adolescent, or adult, where you wanted to try something new and were forbidden because your parents did not see your ability to solve this new challenge together.

If you found that episode and it struck a chord within you, first allow yourself that moment to internalize the discovery because deschooling the adult brain moves many internal processes that were very comfortable resting in our psyche. Another way to know if you are about to encounter the episode and you are not yet ready to face it is that you will respond in your mind with “because it was always done that way,” “because it should be,” or “because there is no other way to do it.”

If so, you do not need to skip to the next question. Once you are calm with your process, call your son to talk about why he decided to get on like this, if he saw it from someone else, if he wants to try lower and go up, if he felt good doing it, or if when he attempted to it, he realized that it was not his thing or if he wants to try again with supervision to see how it goes. Let your child decide to do or not do an activity anymore.

If you didn’t find that episode, or if you found it and it gave you a lot of strength, and you feel good about that episode, go to the next question.

Do I react like this because I set limits?

If your child has never shown the ability to climb anything and there is no “should be” or “because it was always done that way” in your reaction, it is because you know when to set limits. Now we will work on how to set them.

Call your son and tell him that even if he wants to try new things, he always has to be prepared when he increases the difficulty of things. That he has your 100% support and that you want to be present and warned every time he tries something new, so you can assist him and be present as his security and support team. If it is his passion, he will do it with more and more skill; perhaps at home, he has yet to have the opportunity to try this type of activity. And if he is uninterested, he will leave him and have better self-awareness.

Desescolarizando el cerebro adulto / deschooling the adult brain

Final Recommendations

Added to this is not pushing our children when we know they have an innate ability. We only sometimes want to eat our favorite dish every day. There are times of exploration that are as rich and vital as having discipline.

You always have to ask about the cause of their decisions and not force them at once or the opposite, to let them resign just by asking. Always call to feel and raise awareness of what drives us.

If it is your passion, he will return to it. If not, it is a tool to face the next activity. It is never wasted time when freedom is respected.

Once you begin to face this exercise with each situation (or almost with each case), there will come a time when you will not stop to ask yourself the questions, and you will directly know what it is about, and you will be able to act at the moment. It takes time: it’s very satisfying and healing once you get it.

Other stages of unschooling have to do with the adult brain. We will publish them. Check out the newsletters if you are part of WRA, or visit us regularly to discover new content if you are not enrolled yet. Remember to clear doubts before signing up with a free 15-minute call.

Manera sencilla de desescolarizar: desescolarizando el cerebro adulto

Posted on March 27, 2023May 10, 2023 by Monica Oliveros

Manera sencilla de desescolarizar: desescolarizando el cerebro adulto

Posted on March 27, 2023

Cuando iniciamos el camino de la desescolarización, casi siempre es a través de nuestros hijos y por mucho tiempo, pensamos que esto es para ellos. La realidad es que nuestros hijos son solo la excusa para poder desescolarizarnos nosotros.

Desescolarizando el cerebro adulto es una idea que nos viene de manera abstracta a la mente, es una intuición y un sentir que no decimos en voz alta, ya que no sabemos que tan “correcta” es esa frase. Este sentimiento es el primer indicativo que inició nuestro viaje hacia la libertad.

El Unschooling como filosofía de vida

Es muy normal el sentirnos avergonzados por la idea de tomar las riendas de la educación familiar, puesto que parte de nuestra escolarización parte del tener vergüenza de ser libres, de sentirnos especiales, únicos, y si llegáramos a sentirlo es de una manera ridícula y hasta egoísta de solo pensarlo. Si te sentiste así o te estás sintiendo así, te abrazo y hoy daremos un paso más hacia ese sentimiento.

Nuestros hijos han estado menos tiempo escolarizados y en algunos casos no han estado escolarizados, así que ellos no son los que tienen que adaptarse a su nueva vida. Ellos tienen que adaptarse a ti, el adulto escolarizado, a adaptarse a su nueva vida.

Este artículo está escrito para que puedas abrazar tu adaptación como adulto hacia la desescolarización, te des permiso para transitar tu proceso el tiempo que lo necesites y no traigas a tu proceso a tus hijos.

Una vez que entendemos esto, que el unschooling o desescolarización no es un método educativo, sino un estilo de vida familiar, ya verás como todo fluye en casa y tendrás la calma y libertad que buscabas cuando se posó en tu cerebro la idea por primera vez y que ahora, luego de un año intentándolo, se hace cuesta arriba. Es normal. Es parte del proceso.

Desescolarizando el cerebro adulto

Lo primero a conocer es cómo aprende el cerebro, este lo hace por medio de estímulos externos, sean los que sean y que además este posee tal plasticidad que puede adaptarse a cualquier nuevo estímulo, lo que nos permite aprender y desaprender con o sin consciencia de ello.

Las neuronas reciben la información, la hacen viajar por medio de la sinapsis y si este mismo estímulo se repite varias veces, entonces se forjan los recuerdos.

No siempre los recuerdos se forjan con repetición, ya que el cerebro necesita emocionarse para aprender y con una experiencia emocional fuerte, sea agradable o no, esta puede quedar fija ciertos aprendizajes en nuestro cerebro, con solo sentirlos una vez. Tanto la escolarización, como la desescolarización brindan y se enriquecen de este mismo proceso.

Etapas de la desescolarización

No importa si empezamos a desescolarizar en la adolescencia de nuestros hijos o desde que tienen 2 años de vida, nuestro proceso de desescolarización suele activarse en el mismo orden.

A lo largo de nuestra vida escolarizada, nos han inculcado distintos niveles de miedos y requisitos a cumplir según la etapa que vivimos en la escuela. Estos miedos los vamos a ir transmitiendo a nuestros hijos sin necesidad de colocarlos en voz alta, sino transformados en una exacerbada seguridad y protección.

Para esta primera etapa, que es nuestra… de los adultos, vamos a hacer un escaneo en vivo y continuo de nuestros miedos. ¿Por qué vivo?, porque la gran mayoría de nuestros miedos vinculados a la escuela son inconscientes y solo salen a flote cuando estos son activados por una acción; entonces habrá muchos, muchísimos temores que no podrás trabajar a priori en la sala de tu casa y con una taza de café contemplando el horizonte, sino en el momento en que interactúes con otras personas, mayormente con tus hijos.

Los dos niveles de culpa y los límites

Para empezar a desaprender, aprender y re-aprender, es decir, para forjar nuestro nuevo estilo de vida, tenemos que ser conscientes de nuestras creencias y cómo estas nos rigen. Básicamente, a irnos deslastrando de las culpas que inconscientemente nos inculcan miedo.

Para ir haciendo esto de manera continua, tenemos que darnos cuenta de que sacamos a nuestros hijos del sistema educativo porque varias cosas no nos resonaban y una de ellas es lo distanciado que está el sistema de la realidad individual de sus alumnos.

Una realidad que no se ve en el sistema educativo es que los adultos tenemos sentimientos, emociones y que no somos perfectos. De hecho, para el sistema educativo tradicional, el mostrar nuestras emociones y dudas frente a nuestros hijos es símbolo de debilidad. La manera de hacer este ejercicio, es justamente mostrándole a nuestros hijos que nosotros estamos explorando este camino con tantas o más incertidumbres que ellos y que a veces podemos sentirnos sobrepasados y no entendemos por qué.

En este ejercicio vamos a indagar sobre dos niveles de culpa por medio de estas tres preguntas:

¿Lo hago porque es mi miedo?
¿Lo hago porque repito patrones?
¿Lo hago porque coloco límites?

Es continuo y aunque es simple, no siempre es sencillo de aplicar. Con la práctica saldrá de manera automática.

Ejercicio para Desescolarizarnos el Cerebro Adulto Escolarizado

Sobran las oportunidades para poner en práctica el ejercicio, ya que cada vez que sintamos la necesidad de regañar, castigar, obligar o guiar a nuestros hijos, sin tomarnos un momento de introspección sobre si realmente necesitan ser guiados o guiadas. Aquí es que entran los tres niveles.

Nos han dicho que tenemos que actuar de inmediato, si no no se entiende el propósito de la corrección. Esto es cierto a medias, si no hay una explicación que preceda la acción, el niño no verá la conexión, Hoy aprenderás a mostrar tus emociones para crear esa conexión, esto es todo lo que necesitas para hacer este ejercicio de manera orgánica.

Un ejemplo característico de momento perfecto para iniciar el ejercicio es el siguiente:

Van al parque, tu hijo sube por el lado contrario del que estuvo diseñado el juego y además lo está haciendo de una manera muy peligrosa.

La primera reacción natural de un cerebro escolarizado es el gritar que se baje y llamarlo para decirle que nunca más haga eso, que es muy peligroso y se empieza a enumerar una lista de posibles escenarios para invitarle a la reflexión para que no lo haga nunca más. ¿Te suena familiar?

Te invito a hacerlo distinto, no te sientas mal si la primera vez (o primeras veces) solo lo piensas y vuelves a hacer lo que enuncié antes, es un proceso. Sé amable contigo. Lo que te invito a hacer es lo siguiente:

Llamas la atención de tu hijo, capaz gritando, capaz no, confía en el proceso, como te salga instintivo. Cuando llegue a ti, le explicas que eso te pone muy nervioso, que realmente no has logrado saber qué te hace sentir y que si por este día hace lo posible por no jugar así y que más tarde, cuando hayas sabido lo que te hizo sentir, se lo explicas.

Es factible que a los 15-20 minutos lo vuelva a hacer, simplemente le recuerdas lo que hablaron. Los niños son muy abiertos y compasivos, solo que aún colocan sus deseos por encima de otras cosas y les falla la memoria en esos casos, no lo hacen a propósito, así nos vamos desarrollando los seres humanos, no te lo tomes personal.

En un momento introspectivo, que no tengas que estar a su cuidado, ya sea al bañarte o antes de acostarte o al despertar, pregúntate por qué no deseas que tu hijo utilice así el juego:

¿Reacciono así porque es mi miedo?

Intenta visualizar las veces que tu hijo hace en casa maniobras con su cuerpo y lo consciente que es de su motricidad.

Si en casa nunca hace nada físico y no sabes como maneja su cuerpo o lo has visto siendo un entusiasta, pero siempre termina cayendo, entonces tu miedo es por su seguridad y no por transferencia. Puedes pasar a la siguiente pregunta.

Ahora, si al visualizar a tu hijo, te das cuenta de que es la versión en pequeño del hombre araña y que tiene total consciencia de su cuerpo y del resto de los objetos; entonces el miedo es tuyo y le estás agregando a su mochila (que ya tiene sus propios miedos y que tendrá otros miedos conforme vaya viviendo) creencias que no son suyas y que no tienen nada que ver con sus capacidades. En este caso, no necesitas seguir indagando y hablas con tu hijo, le cuentas lo que sentiste y ya la conversación será distinta, será sobre seguridad, sobre el prepararse antes de escalar un objeto nuevo y no de una prohibición a priori de una habilidad innata.

¿Reacciono así porque repito patrones?

Si pasaste a la segunda pregunta, intenta visualizarte y el rol que tienes de madre/padre y qué es lo que se espera de tu rol. ¿Es tu patrón el proteger a tu hijo incondicionalmente y sin importar qué?, ese incondicional incluye sus decisiones personales. O, por el contrario, sabes que estás allí para acompañarlo.

Viaja hacia tu propia infancia y recuerda una situación similar, sea de niño, adolescente o adulto, donde tú querías intentar algo nuevo y se te prohibió porque tus padres no vieron tus aptitudes para resolver ese nuevo desafío juntos.

Si encontraste ese episodio y te tocó alguna fibra, primero permítete ese momento para internalizar el hallazgo, porque el desescolarizar el cerebro adulto mueve muchos procesos internos que estaban muy cómodamente reposados en nuestra psique. Otra manera de saber si estás a punto de encontrar el episodio y aún no estás preparado para enfrentarlo, es que responderás en tu mente con un “porque siempre se hizo así”, “porque es el deber ser”, “porque no hay otra manera de hacerlo”.

Si este es el caso, no necesitas pasar a la siguiente pregunta. Una vez que estés en calma con tu proceso, llama a tu hijo para tener una charla sobre el porqué de decidir subirse así, si lo vio de alguien más, si desea probar más bajito e ir subiendo; si realmente se sintió bien haciéndolo o si al probar se dio cuenta de que no era lo suyo o si quiere probar de nuevo con supervisión a ver que tal. Que sea tu hijo el que tome la decisión de hacer o no hacer más una actividad.

Si no encontraste ese episodio o si lo encontraste y este te dio mucha fortaleza y te sientes bien con ese episodio, pasa a la siguiente pregunta.

¿Reacciono así porque coloco límites?

Si tu hijo nunca mostró aptitudes para subirse en nada y no hay un “deber ser” o “porque siempre se hizo así” en tu reacción, es porque sabes cuándo colocar límites, ahora trabajaremos en cómo colocarlos.

Llama a tu hijo y cuéntale que aunque tenga deseos de probar cosas nuevas, siempre hay que prepararse cuando aumentamos la dificultad de las cosas. Que cuenta con tu respaldo al 100% y que tú deseas estar presente y avisada cada vez que intente algo nuevo, así, puedes asistirlo y estar presente como su equipo de seguridad y respaldo. Si es su pasión irá haciéndolo cada vez con más pericia, capaz en casa nunca tuvo oportunidad de probar este tipo de actividades. Y si no le interesa, lo dejará y tendrá un mejor autoconocimiento.

Recomendaciones Finales

A esto se le agrega el no empujar a nuestros hijos cuando sabemos que tienen una habilidad innata. No siempre queremos comer todos los días nuestro plato favorito, hay épocas de exploración y son tan ricas e importantes como tener disciplina.

Siempre hay que preguntar la causa de sus decisiones y no obligar de una vez y tampoco lo contrario, dejarlos renunciar solo con pedirlo. Siempre llamar al sentir y concientizar qué nos impulsa.

Si es su pasión, volverá a ella, si no, es una herramienta para encarar la siguiente pasión. Nunca es tiempo perdido, cuando la libertad es respetada.

Una vez empieces a encarar este ejercicio con cada situación (o casi con cada situación), llegará un momento que no te pararás a hacerte las preguntas y sabrás directamente de qué se trata y podrás actuar en el momento. Toma tiempo: es muy satisfactorio y sanador una vez que lo consigues.

Existen otras etapas dentro de la desescolarización que tienen que ver con el cerebro adulto, las iremos publicando. No te pierdas los newsletters si eres parte de la WRA o visítanos regularmente para descubrir contenido nuevo si aún no estás inscrito. Recuerda que te puedes sacar todas las dudas antes de inscribirte con una llamada de 15 minutos gratuita.

Homeschooling Global Summit 2020

Posted on June 9, 2020March 16, 2023 by Peggy Webb

Homeschooling Global Summit 2020

Posted on June 9, 2020

An influx of questions has flooded the internet in recent months regarding homeschooling and we are thrilled to address an array of topics in this virtual event called the Homeschooling Global Summit!

There will be ten days of expert interviews, from the likes of Sir Ken Robinson, Pat Farenga, Peggy Webb, Lainie Liberti, Melissa Church and many more! With hundreds of millions of kids around the world learning at home for the first time ever due to Coronavirus, this knowledge is needed by parents more than ever.

We will be interviewing some of our currently enrolled families, as well as West River Academy graduates. Learn how self-directed learning can be an advantage to navigating this rapidly-changing world.

Event Calendar:

As this is the second annual event, anyone who is interested in watching the 40+ hours of footage from the 2019 Homeschooling Global Summit is now able to do so for free!

Visit https://hgsummit.com/ to get your FREE premium pass.

We are so grateful to all of our families and graduates who are participating in this event with us this year. We hope you register for it and share it with your loved ones!
~ The West River Academy Team

A Graduates’ Path to Self-discovery

Posted on March 16, 2018March 16, 2023 by Rachel Nishikawa

A Graduates’ Path to Self-discovery

Posted on March 16, 2018

The West River Academy Graduation Program students are a true testament to the philosophy that there is beauty in diversity. The young adults that we cross paths with have learned that it is okay to hit walls, question your identity, and feel imperfect. Because what you learn from that is how to bounce back, be authentic and embrace your uniqueness.

Marta Chan is an exceptional young woman in our Graduation Program Class of 2018. In one of her monthly report assignments, she reflects on a trip to Finland, growing up in Estonia and her journey to self-discovery.

“Life is amazing. And then it’s awful. And then it’s amazing again. And in between the amazing and the awful, it’s ordinary and mundane and routine… And it’s breathtakingly beautiful!” L.R. Knost has managed to put into words the description of how this month was for me.

I learned once again, that sometimes things just don’t work out as you planned. I thought I had already learned this lesson, but this month proved me wrong. Nothing seemed to go the way I wanted. I was really upset and irritated. But then, I started noticing all these unexpected little, wonderful things that happened in my life. I realized how I sometimes rush to get everything done and forget the reason why I’m doing these things in the first place. Writing my thoughts and feelings down into my journal, really helped me find some serenity and peace of mind.

One thing that was constantly on my mind this month, was my dad’s Chinese origin and his ancestry. It’s challenging for me to do family history from his side, because I do not speak neither Cantonese nor Mandarin Chinese. I’m learning the latter, but it’s rather difficult. It’s not so much the language that’s hard to learn but the notion and culture of the Chinese people. As I have learned more about their culture and traditions, I have recognized pieces of it in myself. I know my parents gave and still give their best in raising me and my siblings and I am really grateful for them, because they have allowed and encouraged me to become the best me. But at times I feel like I am disconnected from the Chinese “part” of me. When I was younger, I always tried to convince others (and myself) that I am a “true- Estonian”. And I remember being so upset when someone would point out that I’m “half- Chinese”, because it made me feel as if I’m incomplete and hence insufficient. But with time I came to realize, that’s not true! Rather than trying to define myself, I learned to know myself. Who I am? Who and What I love? What are my fears, my talents, my passions? What do I do to accomplish my dreams? These are the things that matter. These are the things that make me complete. Not perfect, far from that. But whole.

I learned that if we come to accept ourselves the way we are, it helps us move forward and better ourselves. The beauty in being a human is that we have both the ability and power to improve ourselves. Our backgrounds and situations do not play important roles in this. Our attitude does. My dear grandpa told me once: “A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t drive the car anywhere until you change it. And if you change it, you can go anywhere your heart desires”. I agree with him.

February Twenty-fourth officially marked the one-hundreth birthday of the Republic of Estonia. This gave me again a reason to dive into my family history and celebrate the people who built this country. Their sacrifices and diligence in hardships don’t cease to both amaze and impress me.

Screen Shot 2018 03 16 at 2.21.51 PM 48x36@2x One of the highlights of this month was our family trip to Finland. We went there by a ferry. It was really cool to see the frozen Baltic Sea. All of the water was pretty much asymmetrical blocks of ice. Finland is really pretty! They have many lakes (about 168 000) and endless uninhabited boreal forests! But our first priority was to visit Helsinki Finland Temple. I believe it to be (along with the rest of the 159 operating temples our Church has) a sacred place and the house of God. It was wonderful to visit it and it really made me appreciate everything that has been created, even more than I did before. The time there also gave me a chance to rewind everything that has been going on in my life lately and steer myself back to where I want to be. In conclusion, this month I mostly analysed and studied myself. As ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

A Diverse and Accomplished Teenager

Posted on July 30, 2016March 16, 2023 by Karen Abe

A Diverse and Accomplished Teenager

Posted on July 30, 2016

Our students have a wide variety of interests, and the freedom to pursue them to mastery. Below is a an excerpt from one of our family’s year-end report, focusing on the accomplishments and life-learning of 16 year old Kitt.

Kitt has had an amazing year for prizes. First, he completed his eagle scout rank, after going to the board of review (interview). Soon afterwards, he attended a week-long National Youth Leadership Training for scouts, where he was selected as one of the excellent scouts who were requested to serve as future staff. His eagle court of honor ceremony was held, after a bit of planning, too. Kitt has also been on 4-5 campouts this year, including rock climbing at Joshua Tree National Park. Doing most of the work himself, he has built a trebuchet and a teepee out of a tarp.

Next, he competed for his 7 year in 4H shooting sports. Although he didn’t achieve his best score in archery, he aced the shotgun with a record 5 out of 5 score. He even hit all 3 practice shots, to bring it to 8 out of 8 shots. That got him the Grand Champion in Shotgun award, as well as winning the high point shooter for the entire club for the season. Kitt has his own bow and target and practices at home as often as he can (when there are no neighbors in residence). He is extremely conscientious about safety rules and proper technique. He even gave a few tips to the adult archery instructor at 4H.

At county fair, Kitt won 4 Grand Champion prizes. His oil painting of a farmhouse won him Grand Champion in Fine Arts, while his Turkish ebru painting of a tulip garnered Reserve Grand Champion. His copper twisted necklace with blue beads won Grand Champion in Arts & Crafts, and his larger leather Viking belt bag (made without a kit or pattern) won Grand Champion in Leathercraft (other projects). On top of all that, Kitt won Grand Champion for Home Economics, sweeping the prize for the while building for his senior age class. Wow! All total, Kitt got $120 in prize money. He had entered one painting in Fine Arts open class, but that only received a blue ribbon and outstanding. As for the interview section of the fair, Kitt got purple ribbons (outstanding) for all three interviews. They noted how knowledgeable he seemed and confident. His appearance had improved over last year, but the only negative room for improvement was noted that he needs to iron his white dress shirt. Kitt put a lot of time and effort into all the pieces that he made for Fair, including meeting with a special mentor in Leathercraft. He was amazed at the skill of his new mentor and learned a lot from him. Also, his Leathercraft leader was very encouraging and always ready to lend Kitt tools. Kitt put most of his prize money into his savings account, and I treated him to a few new Leathercraft tools as a reward for his hard work. He is already thinking of what he wants to make for next year.

Kitt has also earned his Congressional Award Bronze medal, which will be handed to him at a ceremony in October, when our Congressman will be in our city. For this award, Kitt counts his fitness hours, personal development and volunteer hours. Besides volunteering with scouts (about 15 hours) and the Jr. Optimist club (about 35 hours), Kitt has a regular volunteer service that he does about once a week at the local historic park. He serves as the historic blacksmith there, making items out of metal and explaining both the process and history to park visitors. This year he has logged about 50 hours, including the Civil War reenactment event and the Gathering of the Gunfighters event at the Yuma Territorial Prison historic park. He absolutely loved the Civil War event and got “drafted” to serve with the artillery during a battle reenactment. He was initiated into the group and hopes to serve with them again next year for the reenactment here in Yuma. In the meantime, he has acquired a pattern for Union Army pants which he wants to make with my help. All of his volunteering as the historical blacksmith is done in his historic clothing portraying the 1870’s in Yuma. Kitt was also invited to and attended the Civil War costume ball held by invitation only after the reenactment in the evening. He learned several historic dances while attending. He also listened to Abraham Lincoln (reenactor) give a talk and later had President Lincoln talk to him individually when he visited the forge. As a volunteer at the park, Kitt was given free tickets and attended a historic talk by a President Teddy Roosevelt reenactor, which he enjoyed a lot.

Kitt has earned a few more scout merit badges and enjoys going to workshops for those. Many of the workshops are STEM related, and I count them as science for Kitt. Among others, he earned this year Nuclear Science (visiting a power plant visitor center), Space Exploration, and Engineering. He also likes to experiment himself and to take things apart at home to see what is inside them. Kitt was also invited to go for a free private flying lesson with an EAA pilot. He learned a lot from that and hopes to do it again in the Fall. He even wants to learn about building an EAA plane.

As for English, Kitt is still working on Spelling and Composition, but this is never his highest priority. He does vocabulary building without even noticing it and has a rich and varied vocabulary. We have several workshops/ programs that he uses but this is an area he needs to improve.

As founder and president of the college tabletop game club, Kitt hosts game day once a week for 2 hours. That means he has put in over 60 hours in games of strategy and logic. This includes reading complicated instructions and teaching others how to play the games. This is one of his great interests, and he hopes to host even more game clubs next year. He has already spoken to the teen librarian to start there in the Fall as a volunteer hosting a weekly 2-hour game day. Kitt also tried out new games with other people and chooses new ones to buy for himself and the game club.

Kitt also loves to travel and enjoys historical places. He often visits Viking villages and museums in Sweden. Last year he even volunteered at a Viking village for a couple of days. I believe he may do that again this summer. He gave an hour long presentation for a college class about Vikings this year.

If Kitt had to choose a subject to study in college, he would probably choose archeology or history. He likes the experiential archeology that they employ in Sweden. Last summer Kitt visited Istanbul, Turkey and Helsinki, Finland, besides our home in Sweden and neighboring Denmark. We also geocache when we travel or go for a walk.

~LOB

Life-learning While Being an “au-pair” in Australia

Posted on July 29, 2016March 16, 2023 by adminscott

Life-learning While Being an “au-pair” in Australia

Posted on July 29, 2016

This blog post features a student who is doing an “au-pair” program in Australia, where she is assisting a home-schooling family with their children in exchange for room and board. Her report illustrates how she weaves online courses, literature, botany and traveling together for extraordinary educational experiences. The pictures are the ones she took of the Blue Mountains in Australia.

This month I started and completed another course called “Biology meets programming: Bioinformatics for beginners”. It was on applying computer programming to analyse DNA and try and figure out various things such as where the replication point is located. It was a really tough course as I haven’t done much biology and have never tried computer programming before. I did ok on the quizzes however the interactive components of the textbook left me very confused as they required a lot of programming and I had trouble understanding how the functions operated and how to create my own. I also didn’t have much time during the week to do the work, and was a little behind from the start. In the end I had to let go of the hope to do well on the course and decided just to try my best to understand what I could. I did learn some interesting things about how the DNA replicates in a certain direction and how certain algorithms work. I found randomized algorithms to be quite interesting even though I didn’t fully understand how they function. Due to the program I ended up making an account for python and doing many of the exercises they offer. Programing is definitely interesting, I think I just need more practice memorizing the language used. I find I have a little difficulty when it comes to understanding more abstract ideas in math, which is a skill I hope to work on.

I also started to read a German book called Drachenreiter, which means Dragonrider. It has an English translation that I read many years ago but as I like the author I always wanted to read the original German version. It’s a little difficult as I haven’t read German in a while and occasionally I will need a little extra time to remember a word. It’s a strange sensation to have my reading pace change slightly, but I am enjoying the story. It’s about how mythical creatures exist hidden away from humans and the last group of dragons home is about to be destroyed by humans, so one of the dragons heads off with his kobold friend to find the dragons’ ancestral home. On the way they pick up a homeless human boy who helped them out and he goes on the journey with them.

I did more volunteering at the botanical garden, and it was quite enjoyable. I learned how to take clippings and plant them. The idea is that you peel of the leaves along 1/3 of the stalk and the nip off the top. You also need to scrape away a strip along the bottom with your nail to promote the growth of roots. Before we plant them we also dipped the ends in a compound called clonex, which seals the cut ends and supplies hormones needed for the growth of roots. It’s interesting learning a little bit about the more scientific side of gardening. On the surface it seems so straight forward, you just plant and water them, but there are many aspects to growing a strong plant, and sometimes no matter what you do they can still die.

For a weekend I went to the Blue Mountains with family I’m staying with for the weekend. It’s an extremely stunning area and we did a lot of hiking along the cliffs. I read that the reason they seem to be blue is because of the way the light refracts through all the dust particles floating around. So the further something is the more dust is in your line of sight and the bluer it seems. We also went on the cable cars and on one we were told the aboriginal story of the three sisters, which are three giant rocks sticking up from a cliff. The legend apparently goes there were three beautiful sisters from one tribe and three brothers from another tribe who fell in love with them. The brothers wanted to take the sisters for themselves but the shaman of their tribe turned them into rocks to protect them. However the shaman then died in a battle between the tribes and no one else was able to break the spell over them again.

On our way back from the Blue Mountains we stopped at a high ropes course. It was my first time visiting one so I was pretty excited. We were given a little safety run-through and then left to go wild. I mostly stayed with the ten year old I look after, and on the most difficult course she was allowed to do she got stuck on the end as you have to jump of a ledge with only a pulley to slow your fall. I had a little time to consider what the repercussions of giving her a push would be, mainly losing her trust in me for a couple days or so, before a worker came and dropped her over the edge. It was extremely physically tiring but very exciting.

I was invited to go on a distant relative’s sailboat and had an amazing time. I had no knowledge about sailing before but I learned quite a bit just watching and was even allowed to help, and steered the boat a little on the way back, although with engine going and the sails tucked away. It seems the boat has to travel in a zigzag sort of way, where it follows the wind one way for a bit then they pull the sail to the other side and turn to travel the other way. The trick is to keep the wind at your back, which sounds pretty obvious but seems easier said than done. They used instruments and little ribbons attached to the sail called tell-tales to let them know which way the wind was blowing.

Life learning

~ Rowena, 2016 High School Senior

WRA Graduate Reflects on His Life as a Homeschooler

Posted on July 28, 2016March 16, 2023 by Karen Abe

WRA Graduate Reflects on His Life as a Homeschooler

Posted on July 28, 2016

Eagle McMahon is a Senior at West River Academy. Here he shares his experience homeschooling: how he learned to read, his “Notebook” method of planning his studies, and becoming a professional disc golfer.

Homeschooling has been the greatest gift of my life. Many kids dream of being homeschooled and I have been able to pursue this lifestyle my entire life. It has given me so many opportunities that I would not have had if I had sat in a classroom all day. I have gotten to spend a lot of time with my family, giving me special relationships with my father and grandparents. My father and grandparents are my homeschool teachers. This opportunity has given special perks over the years. For example, this past year I traveled across the USA and competed against the world’s best professional disc golfers.

Homeschooling is based around me being able to structure my studies around my interests and create my own schedule. The main lesson it has taught me is that you do not just learn from school, you learn from everything.

My learning process has always been relaxed and fun. I have never felt pressured or stressed about learning. Because of this, I am calm and confident when I have to take on tasks. I attribute this to my loved ones for being positive and supportive of this lifestyle.

Going way back in my memory as far as I remember, when I first started off as a pre-homeschooler, I had many interests that jump started my education. I was into Legos, Transformers, and trains. I always dove deep into my hobbies and fully engrossed myself in my interests. I would collect every Transformer, know all of their names, and transform them in a flash. A fond memory I have of these early days is when my dad and I built a landscape for my toy trains. It had tunnels, elevation, and bridges for me to put toy train tracks on. One day we spent all day making a train track that went throughout the entire house. I learned to take things to a different level while having fun! My family was always there to help me learn about my interests and support me in any way they could.

During my early years of academics, I remember going to bookstores and picking out school workbooks. Every time I finished a workbook, which was about every six months, we would go back to the bookstore and get the next grade. My father used a method called the “Notebook.” It was a composition book that he used to schedule my school day. My schedule usually included things like; two pages of math, two pages of science, two pages of reading/writing, exercise, goal setting, and organizing. I looked forward to my new tasks every day. Completing these tasks gave me a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence. We still use the “Notebook” method to this day, and it is still effective as ever. I plan on using this technique for the rest of my life as my daily to-do lists.

My greatest homeschool experience is when my father took me on a trip to Hawaii. I was nine years old and it was after my mother passed. He claims he used this time for bonding and setting our new life and education in motion. We spent eight weeks of the winter from January through February to get out of the cold winter. We spent five of the eight weeks on Maui and the other three weeks on the Main Island. At the time, I barely knew how to read. One of my father’s main intentions of the trip was to teach me how to read. I spent a lot of time reading and being read to. I remember the first book I read, “Fantastic Mister Fox” by Roald Dahl. It was a perfect first book to read for a nine year old, because it was fun and captivating. We made learning to read fun by reading on beautiful beaches under the sun. Once I got a hang of reading, I read one book after the other, completing four Roald Dahl novels in the next eight weeks.

After the Hawaii experience, I realized how special homeschooling was. My education from ages ten years old to present has been unconventional and different than most others. For one, I have been able to pursue my love for cooking and nutrition. My mother and father have raised me a vegetarian, so food has always been a big thing in my life. My grandmother has always made delicious food and I saw her as an inspiration to cook food myself. Since I was at my grandparent’s house a lot for school, I had the opportunity to cook almost every day. I was a natural in the kitchen, had a knack for spices, and knew how to season food. My grandfather was so impressed with my cooking skills, that he started to ask me to cook instead of my grandmother.

Another passion of mine is buying and selling. At the time, I was really into mountain biking. It was a great way to get out in nature and exercise. However, I enjoyed buying bikes and re-selling them so I could upgrade to a better bike. In the course of one year, I bought and sold nine bikes. The first bike I bought was $200. The first premium bike I bought was $1100 and the last one I bought was a $5000 bike I got for $2500. I used the bike for a year and then re-sold it for more money.

The way I earned the money was by working with my father and buying and selling these bikes on craigslist. I was obsessed with selling items (I still am). I also sold random house hold items and valuable frisbees I collected from playing disc golf. I got very good at dealing with people and negotiating because I was doing it on a daily basis. I have learned through this to buy, sell, trade, and use craigslist which are all valuable things that I will use the rest of my life. These experiences have inspired me so much that I want to pursue a business career.

I am most proud of what I have done in disc golf. Disc golf is like standard golf, except instead of hitting a ball into a hole,you are throwing a frisbee into a suspended metal basket. When I was 9 years old, my father’s friend introduced us to the sport. At first we liked it, but just thought of it as a simple game. The more we played, the more we got involved. We played almost everyday. It was a passion we both shared and I learned a lot on the courses. I learned discipline, focus, patience, and how to control my emotions. This sport is still teaching and helping me grow to this day.

From the time I started playing disc golf up until now, it is still very much a part of my life. I have reached professional status, make money doing it, am ranked one of the top players in the world, and have five sponsors that support my game and my travels. I have traveled all around the United States to compete against the best players. This next year will be bigger and better than ever. I will be going to Sweden and Finland to compete. Disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and I am fortunate to be in on the ground level. The growth of the sport is creating more opportunities to make money. I won $1545 for winning a state tournament!

I plan to keep pursuing this and possibly get involved with the business and marketing side of the sport. This passion of mine has brought out my adventurous side and has taught me some valuable life skills. I have learned to book my own flights, plan out my finances, and be resourceful without parents around. Now that I am recognized as one of the top players, I have my own YouTube channel and I do my own video blogs of my travel experiences. As a result, I have become interested with film production and photo editing and it is one of my senior courses.In reviewing all these years, I have realized how proud I am of my alternative education. It is a unique way of life that most people do not understand. I have never been in a traditional school setting or classroom. The benefits of being a homeschool student are outstanding. I have learned many important life lessons through every day tasks and living life. My closest friends are my family and they have all taught me so much; from my father exercising with me, my Grandfather teaching me science, my uncle giving computer tips, and my grandmother with everything. I would not change the way I have done anything. My classroom is life, everyday, all the time. Only a homeschooler would know how great it is.

I believe the freedoms that come with Homeschooling have helped me experience more than your traditional student. My classroom one day is in a coffee shop, the next day the library, the next day a hiking trail, the next day a museum, the next day the disc golf course, and the next day Hawaii. School is living my life and pursuing my interest and goals with all my heart. The enjoyment of learning and growing does not have to be a task.

Homeschooling has enabled me to live in a way that allows me to be myself. Although traditional schooling may be good for others, I do not believe it would have been for me. I am forever grateful to my parents for choosing this lifestyle for my education.

The whole homeschooling lifestyle has been the greatest gift my parents have given to me. Now that I am almost ready to graduate and move onto college to start pursuing a career, I believe I have some ideas about what I want to pursue in the future. I am planning on studying business and marketing because of my resourcefulness and talent in dealing deal with people. I would eventually like to own my own business. I have taken inspiration from others who have created that for themselves. It seems like owning your own business closely relates to homeschooling in so many ways. If you are a business owner, you can shape your own schedule, be the boss of yourself, and create what you want.

I am already set up for that lifestyle because of homeschooling. All my experiences over the years from collecting, buying, selling, traveling, being creative, and developing a disc golf following has set me up for something big in the future. If I were to create a business involving disc golf, I feel as if I would already have a mass amount of support and many options. Homeschooling has taught me to set goals and go get what you want and what you need. If I need to learn something or get something done, I know how to go about doing it.

I have many goals I want to achieve this year and beyond. As a homeschooler, I have been taught that there are no boundaries and that you are allowed to think outside the box.

Humans are capable of great things and all it takes is persistence and the ability to follow your dreams. I want to live a very prosperous life full of happiness and confidence. I expect to achieve that because of who I am as a person. Everything that I have learned and my experiences have taught me that with passion and hard work anything can be done. If I have the right mindset, I believe I can do anything.”