So I know my past few posts contradict each other. I will once again think and type simultaneously and see if I can come up with an answer.
I don't want my kids sitting at a desk all day. I don't want their day micromanaged. That's not what I'm looking for. On the other hand I worry that the freedom they enjoy is fostering indolence. Or that the culture of the school becomes, ha we aren't going to do shit because you can't make us.
Sometimes I worry, because my kids are so young, that the "if they want it bad enough, they'll make it happen" rule is asking too much. When there is something go on, some project they can get in on, they come home so happy and excited to talk about it.
So what is it that I want from and/or for my children? I'm going to think about that for a bit.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Working through the tough stuff
I don't know exactly what's going on but I get the sense that it isn't just my kids who have hit a wall but it feels like the whole school has. Right now there is a budget shortfall so they asked families to donate some extra money per kid. Less than half did. I understand that things are tight for people, I'm not unsympathetic, but nothing? Not even $20 to just help out a little bit?
I feel like the staff is overworked and can't be the kind of models that they want to be. One of the founding staff members is leaving at the end of this year and that makes me feel very nervous.
I'm hitting my own wall as a parent because I feel like I'm seeing and hearing about a whole lot of nothing. Des doesn't talk about anything but the computer. The few times that I have picked them up they are almost always on the computer. Amelia talked about more plans and ideas last year and this year, nothing. I know she was spending a lot of time in the art room for a while but that kind of petered out.
Hmm, let me take a step back and think about this. For a while she was into the art room, bringing home all sorts of projects. She is also reading. Not sitting down and reading a book but she tells me what things say so I know she's getting there. She can sort of add and subtract. She definitely gets snottier than she used to. She peppers her speech with the word "like" and occasionally adopts a valley girl cadence. She still shows amazing patience with her brother and sister but she is not as helpful as she used to be. She doesn't get written up very often. She still pretty much goes to school meeting only if she has a motion. She's very interested in the bookstore. Thinks I should buy it. :) I know some of these things are developmental and I'm not blaming the school for her growing up. What concerns me is the decrease in enthusiasm and ideas.
Des often complains of boredom and talks incessantly about the computer. Likes math. Is not quite along with the reading but working on it. Has become even more resistant to instruction in any way, shape, or form. If Des isn't convinvced that something is going to be fun beforehand or that he's going to be perfect at something from the very first try, he doesn't want to do it. He had a huge meltdown this weekend because Amelia went on this day long hike in the woods and he didn't. He didn't want to go because it was a drop off and when we got there he said it didn't look fun enough. fine. Turns out that it wasn't just a hike but there was a story involved and they found a sword and got to touch it. He went ballistic. It sucks that he has to learn this way that if you don't try things you often end up missing out on fun but there you go.
While Amelia was on this hike we went to the playground at an elementary school. Cady had to go to the bathroom so I took her inside the school and it turned out there was a fencing tournament. Cady, Finn, Des and I watched it and found out that there's a fencing club that meets at the school on tuesday nights. Des has been interested in swords and stuff like that for a while so last night I proposed going to a meeting. He was very suspicious.
"Is it a class?"
"No, it's a club."
"Well, do I have to do it?"
"No."
"I don't think I'm big enough to hold a sword with one hand."
"Would you be willing to try?"
"Yes. do parents stay?"
"Sure."
"Are they just going to teach me stuff. Is it a class?"
"No, it's a club and peeople might tell you things if they think it's helpful but it's not a class. If they see you holding the sword and your arm hurts they might say 'try holding it this way'."
"OK. do I have to go every week? What if I don't like it?"
"Des, I'm not going to answer that yet because you tend to like things but then say you hate them and never want to go again but then you go back and you do like it. So I'm not going to make any promises."
"OK. but what if I don't want to be in the club anymore?"
"Well, we haven't actually joined it yet so let's not worry about quitting. Why don't we just try going and see what it's like."
I have a conversation like this with Des about any new activity. Even the ones that are his idea.
I feel like the staff is overworked and can't be the kind of models that they want to be. One of the founding staff members is leaving at the end of this year and that makes me feel very nervous.
I'm hitting my own wall as a parent because I feel like I'm seeing and hearing about a whole lot of nothing. Des doesn't talk about anything but the computer. The few times that I have picked them up they are almost always on the computer. Amelia talked about more plans and ideas last year and this year, nothing. I know she was spending a lot of time in the art room for a while but that kind of petered out.
Hmm, let me take a step back and think about this. For a while she was into the art room, bringing home all sorts of projects. She is also reading. Not sitting down and reading a book but she tells me what things say so I know she's getting there. She can sort of add and subtract. She definitely gets snottier than she used to. She peppers her speech with the word "like" and occasionally adopts a valley girl cadence. She still shows amazing patience with her brother and sister but she is not as helpful as she used to be. She doesn't get written up very often. She still pretty much goes to school meeting only if she has a motion. She's very interested in the bookstore. Thinks I should buy it. :) I know some of these things are developmental and I'm not blaming the school for her growing up. What concerns me is the decrease in enthusiasm and ideas.
Des often complains of boredom and talks incessantly about the computer. Likes math. Is not quite along with the reading but working on it. Has become even more resistant to instruction in any way, shape, or form. If Des isn't convinvced that something is going to be fun beforehand or that he's going to be perfect at something from the very first try, he doesn't want to do it. He had a huge meltdown this weekend because Amelia went on this day long hike in the woods and he didn't. He didn't want to go because it was a drop off and when we got there he said it didn't look fun enough. fine. Turns out that it wasn't just a hike but there was a story involved and they found a sword and got to touch it. He went ballistic. It sucks that he has to learn this way that if you don't try things you often end up missing out on fun but there you go.
While Amelia was on this hike we went to the playground at an elementary school. Cady had to go to the bathroom so I took her inside the school and it turned out there was a fencing tournament. Cady, Finn, Des and I watched it and found out that there's a fencing club that meets at the school on tuesday nights. Des has been interested in swords and stuff like that for a while so last night I proposed going to a meeting. He was very suspicious.
"Is it a class?"
"No, it's a club."
"Well, do I have to do it?"
"No."
"I don't think I'm big enough to hold a sword with one hand."
"Would you be willing to try?"
"Yes. do parents stay?"
"Sure."
"Are they just going to teach me stuff. Is it a class?"
"No, it's a club and peeople might tell you things if they think it's helpful but it's not a class. If they see you holding the sword and your arm hurts they might say 'try holding it this way'."
"OK. do I have to go every week? What if I don't like it?"
"Des, I'm not going to answer that yet because you tend to like things but then say you hate them and never want to go again but then you go back and you do like it. So I'm not going to make any promises."
"OK. but what if I don't want to be in the club anymore?"
"Well, we haven't actually joined it yet so let's not worry about quitting. Why don't we just try going and see what it's like."
I have a conversation like this with Des about any new activity. Even the ones that are his idea.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Hilarious follow up to the anecdotal evidence
So I got to have a conversation with my friend's cousin about his cousins. Turns out that they did live on a commune but ended up going to a well known progressive boarding school. I googled it and checked out their website. Now I don't know what the cost was 30 years ago but right now it's 40,000 a year for boarders and 27,000 for day students. But they are "committed to socioeconomic diversity" and in fact even full paying students are subsidized because tuition only covers 75% of of their expenses. That would make me feel so much better knowing that my 40,000 was a bargain!
The school does have many similarities to Sudbury in that it encourages the students to participate in the running of the school but doesn't seem to take it as far as Sudbury does. However they must do two independent classes of their own design and attend regular classes and have grades and all of that. This phrase I found somewhat chilling "Life at_______ is structured such that students spend almost every waking hour involved in learning of one kind or another." Really? Every waking hour?
I'll have to own up and tell my friend that these success stories are the product of a more conventional type of education than she thought. I'm just too honest.
The school does have many similarities to Sudbury in that it encourages the students to participate in the running of the school but doesn't seem to take it as far as Sudbury does. However they must do two independent classes of their own design and attend regular classes and have grades and all of that. This phrase I found somewhat chilling "Life at_______ is structured such that students spend almost every waking hour involved in learning of one kind or another." Really? Every waking hour?
I'll have to own up and tell my friend that these success stories are the product of a more conventional type of education than she thought. I'm just too honest.
Monday, March 16, 2009
More thoughts on my anecdotal evidence
I used the phrase "didn't have to do anything" to compare this school to Sudbury but it's a really simplistic comparison. It's also easy to misunderstand what someone might mean by that.
First of all, there are basic requirements for every student at a sudbury school: They must attend school for a minimum amount of time each day. They must perform a minimum amount of community service hours. They must do cleaning jobs. They must serve on JC at least once during the school year. These are responsibilities that I think of as being civic in nature-in order to maintain their society they all have to pitch in a certain amount.
What they don't have to do is engage in any sort of intellectual pursuit that they aren't interested in. They are not compelled to vote on any matter, even though it may be in their best interest to do so. They have no homework. They don't have to regurgitate information at someone else's command to prove themselves. They are completely free, once they have fulfilled their duties as a member of school meeting, to spend their day as they see fit.
Keep in mind that "not having to do anything" is not the same as "doing nothing". Sometimes it looks that way to people, even me, but part of that is because we're conditioned to kids having their day filled for them. And part of it is that they're just sitting around doing nothing. (that's a joke!)
First of all, there are basic requirements for every student at a sudbury school: They must attend school for a minimum amount of time each day. They must perform a minimum amount of community service hours. They must do cleaning jobs. They must serve on JC at least once during the school year. These are responsibilities that I think of as being civic in nature-in order to maintain their society they all have to pitch in a certain amount.
What they don't have to do is engage in any sort of intellectual pursuit that they aren't interested in. They are not compelled to vote on any matter, even though it may be in their best interest to do so. They have no homework. They don't have to regurgitate information at someone else's command to prove themselves. They are completely free, once they have fulfilled their duties as a member of school meeting, to spend their day as they see fit.
Keep in mind that "not having to do anything" is not the same as "doing nothing". Sometimes it looks that way to people, even me, but part of that is because we're conditioned to kids having their day filled for them. And part of it is that they're just sitting around doing nothing. (that's a joke!)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Is there anything more compelling than ironclad anecdotal evidence?
I have a friend who is very skeptical of the Sudbury philosophy. Her concern is that kids won't learn what they need to learn and she doesn't like the idea of an unstructured day.
She called me yesterday and said that she was talking to her husband and "of course I told him what I thought about it." Her husband said that his cousins had gone to a similar type of school in New Hampshire on a commune. Whether it was a sudbury school or not is debatable but his impression of it was that "they didn't have to do anything". I guess their father had no faith in formal education whatsoever and that's how they ended up on the commune.
What became of these cousins? One retired in his forties after starting his own computer company and making a boatload of cash. His sister became an actress and was nominated for an academy award this year.
Chew on that, o ye of little faith. :)
She called me yesterday and said that she was talking to her husband and "of course I told him what I thought about it." Her husband said that his cousins had gone to a similar type of school in New Hampshire on a commune. Whether it was a sudbury school or not is debatable but his impression of it was that "they didn't have to do anything". I guess their father had no faith in formal education whatsoever and that's how they ended up on the commune.
What became of these cousins? One retired in his forties after starting his own computer company and making a boatload of cash. His sister became an actress and was nominated for an academy award this year.
Chew on that, o ye of little faith. :)
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Postcrastinating
I have some stuff to do that is way more important than this but I just don't want to deal with it.
There are some financial troubles at our school. The budget is always tight but more people are having problems paying the tuition because of losing their job or they are self employed and business is down. It sucks. I wish we could pay full tuition, I would, happily. That's why I'm so grateful for the sliding scale. Without that there would be no sudbury for us.
OK back to the real world.
There are some financial troubles at our school. The budget is always tight but more people are having problems paying the tuition because of losing their job or they are self employed and business is down. It sucks. I wish we could pay full tuition, I would, happily. That's why I'm so grateful for the sliding scale. Without that there would be no sudbury for us.
OK back to the real world.
Monday, March 9, 2009
ok
hmm that was weird.
My mystical magical box is behaving strangely today. I hope it is not suffering an imbalance of humors. (my knowledge of computers is equivalent to that of a well educated person from the middle ages knowledge of medicine but I think their terminology is more fun!)
My mystical magical box is behaving strangely today. I hope it is not suffering an imbalance of humors. (my knowledge of computers is equivalent to that of a well educated person from the middle ages knowledge of medicine but I think their terminology is more fun!)
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Behavior Modification
Des has the most irritating habit of shouting for no good reason and singing quite loudly. He is a loud child to begin with but when he sneaks up behind you and shouts some gibberish the effect is jarring. To say the least. Some of his songs are entertaining, but then he sings them over and over again, loudly. so it kinda takes the shine off. Our favorites are Hey, Finlay! , Ohmanoma (the lyrics to this one consist solely of "Ohmanoma, cheebadeeba") and I Hate Everyone(Because They Don't Do What I Want).
Anyway, on the way to the bus the other morning, Des let it slip that he might get suspended if he doesn't stop shouting all the time at school. Ray said "So where are you going to go?" Des said "I guess I'll go to a babysitter with Cady and Finn." Ray said "No way, there isn't even room for you at Cady's school. And we're not paying for Sudbury and a babysitter. If you get suspended you're going to regular school." Nothing strikes fear into Desmond's heart like the threat of regular school. Now most likely he would only be suspended for a day so I don't know what Ray was thinking. And in the time it has taken me to type this I can't remember what my original point was. Oh yeah, behavior modification. So it's great that sudbury will get in a kid's face about their behavior. Not just the big stuff like stealing, lying, breaking rules etc. but in this case being annoying. Once again, JC is a neutral tool for telling people that the way they are acting just will not work in the community.
We can't suspend him from our life though. And we wouldn't want to. I wish we could get him to take a music class or something and let him go nuts there. Ray and I are not musical people. We don't know how to find a positive way to help him express himself without driving us all crazy.
Anyway, on the way to the bus the other morning, Des let it slip that he might get suspended if he doesn't stop shouting all the time at school. Ray said "So where are you going to go?" Des said "I guess I'll go to a babysitter with Cady and Finn." Ray said "No way, there isn't even room for you at Cady's school. And we're not paying for Sudbury and a babysitter. If you get suspended you're going to regular school." Nothing strikes fear into Desmond's heart like the threat of regular school. Now most likely he would only be suspended for a day so I don't know what Ray was thinking. And in the time it has taken me to type this I can't remember what my original point was. Oh yeah, behavior modification. So it's great that sudbury will get in a kid's face about their behavior. Not just the big stuff like stealing, lying, breaking rules etc. but in this case being annoying. Once again, JC is a neutral tool for telling people that the way they are acting just will not work in the community.
We can't suspend him from our life though. And we wouldn't want to. I wish we could get him to take a music class or something and let him go nuts there. Ray and I are not musical people. We don't know how to find a positive way to help him express himself without driving us all crazy.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Egghead likes her booky book!
So I'm thinking about buying a used book store. for realsies.
I starting working there this week to see what it would be like to work and have four kids. since I'm only working from 10-2 it's not that bad.
I'm in heaven. For starters I have adult conversations the whole time I'm there. I might mention my kids in passing but they aren't the focus. How refreshing! Secondly, I'm surrounded by books. I've already come across about 30 that I want to read. Plus so many that I have read. It's like running into old friends.
The store itself is a disaster. There are probably 40,000 books. There are boxes and piles and stacks of books everywhere you turn. It's insane. It smells. It needs to be painted. Half of the books need to be priced and shelved. And people don't read the way they used to. Idiots.
Ray is not into it but I feel like this is where I'm meant to be. It makes me so happy to be around these books and talk to people about books and look at books and alphabetize the books.
I think i just may end up doing this!
Believe it or not, I should probably thank the sudbury gang. Seeing what they have accomplished with the school made me feel like I could accomplish something for myself. The people who founded the school or have been involved from almost the beginning are a very smart energetic bunch. I've learned so much from them.
I have to backtrack here. This whole bookstore project has been a revelation to me about what I can and can't handle and what is really important to me. I also feel like finally, at age 38, I'm actually daring to do something. Something hard but possibly rewarding. I'll have to continue more on this tomorrow. As usual, someone is crying and needs me. Ah, motherhood.
I starting working there this week to see what it would be like to work and have four kids. since I'm only working from 10-2 it's not that bad.
I'm in heaven. For starters I have adult conversations the whole time I'm there. I might mention my kids in passing but they aren't the focus. How refreshing! Secondly, I'm surrounded by books. I've already come across about 30 that I want to read. Plus so many that I have read. It's like running into old friends.
The store itself is a disaster. There are probably 40,000 books. There are boxes and piles and stacks of books everywhere you turn. It's insane. It smells. It needs to be painted. Half of the books need to be priced and shelved. And people don't read the way they used to. Idiots.
Ray is not into it but I feel like this is where I'm meant to be. It makes me so happy to be around these books and talk to people about books and look at books and alphabetize the books.
I think i just may end up doing this!
Believe it or not, I should probably thank the sudbury gang. Seeing what they have accomplished with the school made me feel like I could accomplish something for myself. The people who founded the school or have been involved from almost the beginning are a very smart energetic bunch. I've learned so much from them.
I have to backtrack here. This whole bookstore project has been a revelation to me about what I can and can't handle and what is really important to me. I also feel like finally, at age 38, I'm actually daring to do something. Something hard but possibly rewarding. I'll have to continue more on this tomorrow. As usual, someone is crying and needs me. Ah, motherhood.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Church
We had to go to my uncle's funeral yesterday. It was in a catholic church. A novelty for my children. As we enter the pew Des says, "Mommy why do they have a statue of a man being crucerised?" Before I can answer he says, "Who wants to look at that when they're going to church?"
Later on, in the car, he says "So you're telling me that people get married in front of a big guy getting crucerised?"
I tried to explain to him that it was a reminder of Jesus' suffering for all of us and Ray pipes in with "There is no guilt like Catholic guilt!"
Later on, in the car, he says "So you're telling me that people get married in front of a big guy getting crucerised?"
I tried to explain to him that it was a reminder of Jesus' suffering for all of us and Ray pipes in with "There is no guilt like Catholic guilt!"
Monday, March 2, 2009
A testamonial
I've been meaning to share this for a while. It's amazing.
To Sego Lily School
A note from A Dad.
My daughter H. graduated from Sego Lily in December. What a long amazing
trip it's been.
When H. came to me early last fall and said she was ready to move on,
that she had gotten what she needed from high school and was ready to join
the world of adults, I was brought to tears. For you see, H. was at one
time, a disabled child. She was diagnosed with both Absences Epilepsy and
Autism. Until a few years ago the idea that she would be ready for the world
let alone taking care of herself or having a job was inconceivable. Her
disability made it so that she could not learn. From an early age we used
tutors, therapists, full-time aides in the classroom, private and public
school, and all of the special Ed that the public schools provide.
Until about 5th grade H. was a very happy, tough kid, with a spark and
gleam in her eyes. Unfortunately she still could not read, spell, write, or
do any math. She could not tell time nor understand what a certain time
meant, although she was able to speak and understand, and had language
skills above grade level. On first meeting H., she appeared normal. One
would only notice that she seemed a little different, but she still had
great trouble learning.
After a very traumatic 7th grade in public school, with all of the
associated teasing, bullying, and hopelessness that comes with a disability,
she was done. She was depressed, angry, temperamental, and hopeless. I could
go on and on. She hadn't smiled in a year. She told us that she was not
going to go to school anymore. Seriously, running away or worse were her
options if we did not believe her. We had looked at all school options in
Utah and even were looking at moving out of state to find her a place to go.
Home schooling seemed like the only option. An article in the Salt Lake
Tribune mentioned that a new school with a different philosophy was starting
in Salt Lake. I was on the phone with Jen that day. After speaking with her
I was very impressed. Her vision, expertise, and love of kids and their
learning swayed me. We took H. to see Sego Lily as we had done with many
other schools. She would not even get out of the car. After hearing about
the school and philosophy and meeting Jen she agreed to try it for 8th
grade. The first few weeks were hard. She spent most of her time curled up
on the couch, but she went to school every day. Within a few months, she had
gotten into the swing of things. She started talking about her day at
school. H. didn't come home in tears every day and actually looked
forward to school some mornings. She started to smile!!! The old wonderful
H. was starting to reappear.
Over the next few years H. started to really assert herself. She was
gaining self-confidence, joking and kidding with kids and staff. She was
happy, healthy, and was starting to learn. I was now going into parent mode.
Was this the right school for her? No classes? No curriculum? How will this
be for her as she gets older? I started flipping out. Was this just teenage
daycare? H. seemed to spend all day watching TV. I had many meetings with
the staff and they told me to have faith. H. was making much more
progress then I thought. I almost pulled her out many times. This was so
foreign. Thank goodness I didn't.
This is the important part. H. came home one day and started to talk
about ancient Egypt. She had seen a DVD on Egypt and was exited. I asked her
if she wanted me to get some more DVDs and she lit up. I started buying her
videos on many subjects and she ate them up. H. had found a way to learn.
Textbooks and lectures did not work for her but visual audio and hands on
did. Wow. H.'s learning exploded. She now started using the computer.
Every day and most nights were spent looking for info on her Mac book or
watching TV. The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and National Geographic
were her new best friends.
Sego Lily allowed H. to figure out for herself how to learn. She took it
and ran. Sego Lily gave her the tools that will serve her well for a
lifetime. She no longer considers herself to be disabled. She has discovered
her ability to adapt and adjust to outside influences. SHE HAS LEARNED TO
READ. I don't know how. She did not spend her days in English class. H.
can handle basic math, balance her checkbook, tell time, and keep schedules.
If there is something she wants to know she can go out and find it on her
own. I sometimes call her Google Girl. Her ability to research is amazing.
There is no way she would have progressed to this level of independence and
maturity at a regular school. I am not sure she would even have survived.
Sego Lily gave her the tools for life and maybe even saved it. During her
first year at Sego Lily Her Mom and I used to say, "Well, she won't be a
rocket scientist but at least she will survive". We were only right about
the rocket part. Today you will find H. working in the Paleontology Lab
at the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah. After finishing her
training she is now a full-fledged member of the team. She is living her
passion and is looking at going on and getting a degree in Paleontology. I
am more proud of her then anything else in my life. For H. to have made
it this far took tenacity and her unique outlook on life. But most of all,
it took Jen, Kyle, Craig, Tara, Katee, Hollie, and all the other staff,
parents, and kids at Sego Lily. The school and family that is Sego Lily gave
her the gift of success and for that I will be forever deeply grateful.
To Sego Lily School
A note from A Dad.
My daughter H. graduated from Sego Lily in December. What a long amazing
trip it's been.
When H. came to me early last fall and said she was ready to move on,
that she had gotten what she needed from high school and was ready to join
the world of adults, I was brought to tears. For you see, H. was at one
time, a disabled child. She was diagnosed with both Absences Epilepsy and
Autism. Until a few years ago the idea that she would be ready for the world
let alone taking care of herself or having a job was inconceivable. Her
disability made it so that she could not learn. From an early age we used
tutors, therapists, full-time aides in the classroom, private and public
school, and all of the special Ed that the public schools provide.
Until about 5th grade H. was a very happy, tough kid, with a spark and
gleam in her eyes. Unfortunately she still could not read, spell, write, or
do any math. She could not tell time nor understand what a certain time
meant, although she was able to speak and understand, and had language
skills above grade level. On first meeting H., she appeared normal. One
would only notice that she seemed a little different, but she still had
great trouble learning.
After a very traumatic 7th grade in public school, with all of the
associated teasing, bullying, and hopelessness that comes with a disability,
she was done. She was depressed, angry, temperamental, and hopeless. I could
go on and on. She hadn't smiled in a year. She told us that she was not
going to go to school anymore. Seriously, running away or worse were her
options if we did not believe her. We had looked at all school options in
Utah and even were looking at moving out of state to find her a place to go.
Home schooling seemed like the only option. An article in the Salt Lake
Tribune mentioned that a new school with a different philosophy was starting
in Salt Lake. I was on the phone with Jen that day. After speaking with her
I was very impressed. Her vision, expertise, and love of kids and their
learning swayed me. We took H. to see Sego Lily as we had done with many
other schools. She would not even get out of the car. After hearing about
the school and philosophy and meeting Jen she agreed to try it for 8th
grade. The first few weeks were hard. She spent most of her time curled up
on the couch, but she went to school every day. Within a few months, she had
gotten into the swing of things. She started talking about her day at
school. H. didn't come home in tears every day and actually looked
forward to school some mornings. She started to smile!!! The old wonderful
H. was starting to reappear.
Over the next few years H. started to really assert herself. She was
gaining self-confidence, joking and kidding with kids and staff. She was
happy, healthy, and was starting to learn. I was now going into parent mode.
Was this the right school for her? No classes? No curriculum? How will this
be for her as she gets older? I started flipping out. Was this just teenage
daycare? H. seemed to spend all day watching TV. I had many meetings with
the staff and they told me to have faith. H. was making much more
progress then I thought. I almost pulled her out many times. This was so
foreign. Thank goodness I didn't.
This is the important part. H. came home one day and started to talk
about ancient Egypt. She had seen a DVD on Egypt and was exited. I asked her
if she wanted me to get some more DVDs and she lit up. I started buying her
videos on many subjects and she ate them up. H. had found a way to learn.
Textbooks and lectures did not work for her but visual audio and hands on
did. Wow. H.'s learning exploded. She now started using the computer.
Every day and most nights were spent looking for info on her Mac book or
watching TV. The Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and National Geographic
were her new best friends.
Sego Lily allowed H. to figure out for herself how to learn. She took it
and ran. Sego Lily gave her the tools that will serve her well for a
lifetime. She no longer considers herself to be disabled. She has discovered
her ability to adapt and adjust to outside influences. SHE HAS LEARNED TO
READ. I don't know how. She did not spend her days in English class. H.
can handle basic math, balance her checkbook, tell time, and keep schedules.
If there is something she wants to know she can go out and find it on her
own. I sometimes call her Google Girl. Her ability to research is amazing.
There is no way she would have progressed to this level of independence and
maturity at a regular school. I am not sure she would even have survived.
Sego Lily gave her the tools for life and maybe even saved it. During her
first year at Sego Lily Her Mom and I used to say, "Well, she won't be a
rocket scientist but at least she will survive". We were only right about
the rocket part. Today you will find H. working in the Paleontology Lab
at the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah. After finishing her
training she is now a full-fledged member of the team. She is living her
passion and is looking at going on and getting a degree in Paleontology. I
am more proud of her then anything else in my life. For H. to have made
it this far took tenacity and her unique outlook on life. But most of all,
it took Jen, Kyle, Craig, Tara, Katee, Hollie, and all the other staff,
parents, and kids at Sego Lily. The school and family that is Sego Lily gave
her the gift of success and for that I will be forever deeply grateful.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Introducing...
My friend Jen will be sharing her thoughts on the Sudbury experience here now too. I have graciously bestowed this honor, made possible by her clever navigation of Blogger's many and mysterious menus. This blog was actually her idea in the first place.
Jen's elder son attends a smaller Sudbury school part time. This is his first year. We met at a La Leche meeting, back when we still loved our kids more than knitting.
I hope you enjoy getting another parent's perspective.
Jen's elder son attends a smaller Sudbury school part time. This is his first year. We met at a La Leche meeting, back when we still loved our kids more than knitting.
I hope you enjoy getting another parent's perspective.
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