Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers
Tucson, Arizona
October 2002 Newsletter
MISSION STATEMENT
Sonoran Desert Homeschoolers is an open, not-for-profit home education network, providing social and creative outlets for homeschooling families. We are not devoted to any one homeschooling approach, political platform, religious outlook, or philosophical ideal. Our homeschooling community supports all families, regardless of their personal lifestyle or educational choices in the area of home education. Our motto is "hozho," a Navajo word meaning "harmony" or "walking in beauty or friendship."
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)
CALENDAR
(check below for related announcements)
Teen Discussion Group Tuesday, October 1
Used Curriculum Fair Tuesday, October 1
Deadline for Fall ATC Shows Tuesday, October 1
Men's Coffee Night Wednesday, October 2
Roots and Shoots Club Starts Friday, October 4
Middle Reader Group Tuesday, October 8
Shakespeare Theatre Troupe Performance Friday/Saturday, October 11-12
Teen Discussion Group Tuesday, October 15
Deadline for Roster Changes Tuesday, October 15
Fall Clothing Exchange Tuesday, October 15
Discussion of Bless Me Ultima Tuesday, October 22
Parent's Meeting: Homeschooling Teenage Years Wednesday, October 23
City Wide Roller Skating Party Friday, October 25
Newsletter Deadline Saturday, October 26
Deadline for T-Shirt/Sweat Shirt Orders Tuesday, October 29
Halloween/Harvest Festival Tuesday, October 29
Crafty Ladies Wednesday, October 30
Tucson Cowboy Music Festival Thursday, October 31
ATC Performance Monday, November 4
Ted Walker Youth Day at Old Tucson Tuesday, November 19
**Park Meeting Time Changes to 12:00pm on Tuesday, October 29**
ANNOUNCEMENTS
TEEN DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, October 1
OCT 1st: We will meet at 9:00 am at the park. That's one half hour before the park meeting. The topic will be whether the United States should go to war with Iraq. What are the arguments for and against it?
USED CURRICULUM FAIR Tuesday, October 1
If you have outgrown educational materials, share them with others and recoup some lunch money! Bring your materials--charts, dioramas, workbooks in almost new condition, textbooks, novels, language cassette sets, videos...--to park on October 1. Spread your offerings out on blankets or portable tables. The curriculum fair will start at the usual park time and annoucements will be postponed an hour until most of the bartering and buying has taken place. Come early for best selection. In the past, this event has been very successful in emptying and refilling closets! Don't forget to bring some pocket money for great deals! Call or talk to Danetta M more information.
MEN'S COFFEE NIGHT Tuesday, October 1
The Men's meeting is held every first Tuesday of the month. This is an opportunity for us fathers to discuss homeschooling issues as well as other topics. Please join us at the Borders on Oracle for coffee, tea, good company and conversation. This casual meeting starts around 7:30 PM. For more information contact Jeff O. or Brian M.
ATC PERFORMANCES Deadline for Fall Performances, Tuesday, October 1
The future ATC performances are quite eclectic. Please check them out at www.aztheatreco.org The play with the biggest draw for our group probably will be "The Fantasticks". Due to its popularity, the ATC coordinator suggested that I send in SDH's reservation as soon as possible, so here is the scoop:
"The Fantasticks" student matinee will be December 10th at 10:30 am (must arrive by 10 am for group seating). $8 per ticket (special higher pricing for this show). I will send in the reservation OCTOBER 1st. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Fantastiks" and number of tickets, please.
As to the other shows (again, see the ATC website), the first is "Blue" by Charles Randolph Wright. It is recommended for ages 12 and up. The performance date is November 4th at 10:30 am (must arrive by 10 am for group seating). $6 per ticket. I will send in the reservation on OCTOBER 1st also. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Blue" and number of tickets, please.
If you are interested in more than one play, you need write only one check, but please staple to it (or include in an envelope) a page listing the plays desired and the number of seats per play. If you would prefer to pay by cash, same procedure. If you want to order now for the spring plays, I will just hold your check until January. Once I have placed the reservations we can attempt to add more seats, but with no guarantees. If you want to mail your check to me (please send me an email so I can be on the lookout for it). If you have any questions, please email me Lisa F. directly at lmbfunk@hotmail.com.
ROOTS & SHOOTS CLUB Friday, October 4
Announcing our new club....(drumroll please)....
SDH Roots & Shoots
We had a great turnout at our Start Our Own Club meeting & pizza/swim party! 10 adults (including 1 brave dad) & 16 (!) kids, ages 9 months to 11 yrs. Plus we have another 9 families who have expressed interest. We decided to go with Roots & Shoots. We'll be meeting 1st & 3rd Fridays from 10 a.m. -noon. We are keeping things as simple as possible, so no dues, no officers. We will rotate responsibility for each meeting. Leaders and tentative plans for the next few Roots & Shoots events:
October 4 Lisa R. & Kris S. bug project
October 18 Dawn F. Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum tour.
November 1 Alica M. hike & plant native wildflowers
November 15 Heather M. tba
Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute's international environmental and humanitarian program for young people. Its mission is to foster respect and
compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for the environment, animals and the human community. You can read more about it at their website: http://www.janegoodall.org/rs/ or check out the SDH Notebook at parkday.
MIDDLE READER GROUP Tuesday, October 8
Middle Reader Group will meet October 8 after announcements to discuss The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Kids aged 8-11 and anyone who has read or is interested in this book should join us for a lively discussion. We will meet November 12 to discuss the book The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, and we will meet December 10 to discuss The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, by Barbara Robinson.
For more information, call Paige J. or Christine G.
SHAKESPEARE THEATRE TROUPE Friday/Saturday, October 11/12
Our own SDH Shakespeare Theatre Troupe will be performing Much Ado About Nothing on October 11 at 3pm and Oct 12 at 7pm. The performance will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on 6901 E. Kenyon Dr., which is just south of Palo Verde Park. The Troupe consists of SDH pre-teens and teens and they have put in an extraordinary effort putting this play together. Come see the fruit of their labor and enjoy one of Shakespeare's most popular plays! If you have any questions contact Carolyn M. or Kim B. If you just need directions, contact Kim B.
TEEN DISCUSSION GROUP Tuesday, October 15
OCT. 15th: We will meet at 9:00 am at the park. The topic will be "arranged marriages". In some cultures, the parents decide whom their children will marry. In those cases, the two people may not even meet each other until the wedding day. In our culture, people date and then make their own choice. What makes more sense to you and why? What other marriage customs do you know about? Call Brian M with questions or comments.
SDH ROSTER DEADLINE Tuesday, October 15
I will be distributing an updated roster next month. This roster will contain only paid members. The cut off for changes will be October 15th. Contact Alice G. to pay your dues if you have not already done so. Contact Sharon A. if you have any updates to your address, telephone number, or email.
SDH FALL CLOTHING EXCHANGE Tuesday, October 15
Clean out your closets, empty your drawers, it's time for the semi-annual SDH Clothing Exchange!
Bring items you don't need or want, and take home things you CAN use. And the exchange isn't limited to clothing - is there something else around your house that you've been waiting to get rid of? Bring it to the park meeting on October 15 - maybe someone else will take it! Everything is free, and there are no requirements to participate - just come ready to find clothes, footwear, toys, stuffed animals, small appliances, whatever! All leftover items will be donated to New Beginnings (formerly Tucson Shalom House), a shelter for women and children. Questions? Contact Debbie G.
ONE BOOK, ONE COMMUNITY BOOK DISCUSSION Tuesday, October 22
The Tucson-Pima Library Foundation is organizing a One Book/One Community project in which one book is selected, read, and discussed throughout the city during the month of October. Large and small groups meet to discuss the book either formally at a library, or informally at a coffee house or some similar institution. The book chosen this year is Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. I am organizing an "informal" (stress informal) discussion of the book with our group. Anyone who can read and understand the book is welcome. I will meet under the ramada just after announcements. For more information about our discussion contact Kim B. or you can get general information at the public libraries.
PARENTS MEETING: HOMESCHOOLING THROUGH THE TEENAGE YEARS Wednesday, October 23rd
We will meet from 7:00 to 8:45 in the public meeting room at Woods Memorial Library at 3455 N. First Avenue. As a homeschooling parent, there's always that question about whether you will be able to give your kids ALL the things that they need. That question, as unrealistic as it may be, seems to loom larger when the kids are teenagers. There's lots of different reasons for that. You start seeing other homeschooled kids deciding to go to regular school around that age. The stuff you feel you have to teach seems to get more and more difficult: trignometry, chemistry, advanced logic, conversational French, interstellar space travel (just kidding). Then there's that seemingly internal inconsistency of teaching someone how to become self reliant, i.e, to not have to rely on you. And there's always the hormones. Anyway, there is a whole new set of challenges. Here's a chance to get together and trade ideas and experiences. Although the discussion will be about teens, parents of younger kids are welcome to attend as well. Call Brian M if you have any questions.
CITY WIDE HOMESCHOOLER'S ROLLER SKATING PARTY Friday, October 25
Join homeschoolers from around Tucson on Friday, October 25 from 1 - 3 p.m. for an afternoon of rollerskating. The charge of $3.00 per skater include the skate rental. The fun happens at Skate Country North, 2700 N. Stone Ave. in Tucson.
This event is arranged by the great people in CHET SW, and is open to all homeschoolers!
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE Saturday, October 26
SDH T-SHIRTS AND SWEASHIRTS ORDER DEADLINE Tuesday, October 29
I will be taking orders for SDH t-shirts and sweatshirts until October 29th. The t-shirts are 100% cotton. The sweatshirts are a cotton/poly blend. The color and design of the shirts will be the same as last year. Sizes and prices are:
White colored t-shirts:
youth (XS - L) $4.00
adult (S - XL) $4.00
adult 2XL $5.00
adult 3XL $6.00
Ash colored t-shirts:
youth (XS - L) $5.00
adult (S - XL) $5.00
adult 2XL $6.00
adult 3XL $7.00
White colored sweatshirts
youth (XS - L) $8.00
adult (S - XL) $8.50
adult 2XL $10.50
Ash colored sweatshirts:
youth (XS - L) $8.50
adult (S - XL) $9.00
adult 2XL $11.00
See me (Sharon A.) at the park meetings to order. I will need shirt size/color and cash (no checks, please) by October 29th. Feel free to contact Sharon A. by phone or email if you have any questions.
HALLOWEEN/HARVEST FESTIVAL Tuesday, October 29
October 29th is our annual Harvest/Halloween celebration. In past years, we have had a carnival with activity booths run by families, a costume parade, crafts, and treats. Both parents and kids are encouraged to dress up. Food, crafts, and whether we will
have activity booths this year will be discussed at park and organisers are welcome.
CRAFTY LADIES Wednesday, October 30
Every last Wednesday of the month we meet at Borders on Oracle for Coffee or tea. We get together from 7:30 PM on, but some of us get there quite a bit later. We chat, laugh, and a few of us bring a project to work on (knitting, crochet, sorting pictures, etc.). This is open to any parent, but so far only moms have shown up. It is a great way to get to know others better and there is always a mix of parents with younger and older children, so you can ask lots of questions too and discuss things. For more info contact Sybelle V.
TUCSON COWBOY MUSIC ROUND UP Thursday, October 31
Mark your calendars for Oct. 31st! There will be an extraordinary opportunity for homeschoolers. The Tucson Cowboy Music Round Up is hosting an educational program for homeschoolers. The program will highlight the old west......everything from cowboys to the range to western music and more! This is a program that runs nationally and I have heard it is wonderful! There will be 3 or 4 workshops (each 15 min.) that teach different aspects of the old west. Then a 45 min. concert afterwards. They told me that while 4th thru 6th graders would gleen alot (since they may be studying U.S. History then) they welcome all homeschoolers of any age because they are such a "love to learn" and "polite" group of children! Anyway, the whole thing is FREE! Also, I will be receiving an educational packet before Oct. 31st that you can share with your children and I will make copies for each family that wants to participate. As I get more info. I'll forward it on. We do have to reserve so I'll have a sign up sheet at the park next Tues. If you will not be at the park please email me with how many people will be in your party. Thanks, Amber A. (my email address is new so please don't use the one on the sheet from last year) alltucson4@comcast.net
TED WALKER YOUTH DAY AT OLD TUCSON Tuesday, November 19
Ted Walker Youth Day at Old Tucson is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday. November 19. This annual Pima County event for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders includes free admission to Old Tucson and its shows and attractions, plus a free lunch. There is a possibility that the county will not hold the event this year, but I want to have everyone's information early so that I can submit the necessary information to the county coordinator as soon as I am notified that the event will indeed happen as planned. If you are interested in attending, please use the sign-up sheet at park meetings, or e-mail me your information. I will need the name/names, ages, and grades of the children who will attend (please, only children in 4th, 5th and 6th grades), the name of the adult/adults who will accompany them, your telephone number, and your e-mail address if possible. Sign-ups will continue until I hear from the Pima County coordinator for the event, so please get your information to me as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please speak with me at the park or e-mail me at debbiegubernick@yahoo.com.
ATC PERFORMANCES Spring Deadline, January 1
For the spring performances, I will send in the group reservations JANUARY 1st, as follows:
"A Moon for Misbegotten" by Eugene O'Neill is recommended for ages 15 and up. The performance date is February 4th at 10:30 am (must arrive by 10 am for group seating). $6 per ticket. I will send in the reservation on JANUARY 1st. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Moon" and number of tickets, please.
"The Origins of Happiness in Latin" by Felix Pire is recommended for ages 12 and up. The performance date is April 22nd at 10:30 am (must arrive by 10 am for group seating). $6 per ticket. I will send in the reservation on JANUARY 1st. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Origins" and number of tickets, please.
"The Drawer Boy" by Michael Healey is recommended for ages 10 and up. The
performance date is April 24th at 10:30 am (must arrive by 10 am for group seating). $6 per ticket. I will send in the reservation on JANUARY 1st. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Drawer" and number of tickets, please.
"Copenhagen" by Micahel Frayn is recommended for ages 16 and up. The performance date is TBA, but will be toward the end of April or early May. $6 per ticket. I will send in the reservation on JANUARY 1st. Please get your check to me by that date -- write in the memo space "Copenhagen" and number of tickets, please.
If you are interested in more than one play, you need write only one check, but please staple to it (or include in an envelope) a page listing the plays desired and the number of seats per play. If you would prefer to pay by cash, same procedure. If you want to order now for the spring plays, I will just hold your check until January. Once I have placed the reservations we can attempt to add more seats, but with no guarantees. If you want to mail your check to me. (please send me an email so I can be on the lookout for it).
HIMMEL PARK DAY
Join us on Thursdays at about 10:00 AM at Himmel Park. Himmel Park is located on Tucson Blvd. near Speedway. We meet at the Westside play equipment. There is a shaded play area, a place to rollerblade or roller skate, and a library. This is mainly a play park day. No official announcements will be made. If you have any questions, contact Tara O.
SDH WEB SITE
the SDH Events Calendar
the current issue of the SDH Newsletter
links to recent newspaper articles about homeschooling
links to Arizona homeschooling regulations
the SDH Message Board
WANTED: ONE SPELLING BEE COORDINATOR
I need someone to take over as coordinator for the 2002-2003 Tucson-area Homeschoolers' Spelling Bee. The job is easy to learn (I figured it out in three weeks), and I have a detailed information package to pass along to the new coordinator. And thanks to a donation, this package will now include a judges' bell. Last year's spelling bee almost didn't happen because no one volunteered to coordinate it. I want to avoid the kind of last-minute rush that happened last year by arranging this one earlier. Please email DebbieGubernick@yahoo.com, or call me at 791-9942 to find out more about the job, and remember that homeschooling children throughout Tucson look forward to participating in this annual event.
Articles by SDH Members
What is a Homeschooling Support Group, and How Do I Choose One?
by Debbie Gubernick (adapted from a presentation at the Citywide Introduction to Homeschooling event, August 13, 2002)
Homeschooling support groups are composed of people who share the belief that homeschooling is both a legitimate and a desirable method of educating children. The value of this common bond is often unappreciated - a homeschooling support group is guaranteed to be one place that you will not have to defend or explain your decision to homeschool your child!
Participation in a support group is a great way for new homeschoolers to become comfortable with their new endeavor. You meet "real-live homeschoolers," seeing for yourself that they are people just like you. And if you have homeschooling questions, there are people readily available to give you helpful answers and suggestions.
Homeschooling support groups also provide a template for socialization. Groups meet regularly - some weekly, some monthly giving the children a chance to play together and get acquainted. Friendships and play dates easily develop in these settings.
A fundamental aspect of homeschooling support groups is that they depend on people contributing their time, energy and talents to making the groups successful. This volunteerism is at the core of any group's usefulness to its members, and it gives members a unique opportunity to contribute to the group.
Adults have few chances to share their talents, knowledge and expertise outside of their work environments. Homeschooling support groups encourage members to use their experiences to provide learning situations for the group's children. Members are given the chance to develop their ideas into concrete activities, classes, workshops, discussion groups, athletic teams, and field trips. Homeschooling support groups depend on the active involvement of their members to remain fresh and responsive to the needs of the children in the groups. Here is a partial listing of field trips, activities and learning opportunities provided by homeschooling support groups in our area:
Living History Day at Tubac
Roller skating and ice skating parties throughout the year
Discounted tickets to theater, opera and musical performances
Tours of local businesses
Workshops
Reading groups
Shakespeare Theater troupe
Physical education classes
4-H Clubs
Because homeschooling support groups are member-driven, there are innumerable ways to contribute to the support group and to make it more useful to your family. The best support groups are responsive to the changing needs of their membership, and encourage people to take on leadership roles within the groups. But there are always other ways to be part of the group if the group publishes a newsletter, it needs a newsletter editor, articles, stories and artwork contributed by both the adults and children in the group, plus a distribution system for the newsletter. If the group hosts a web site, there are opportunities for creating the site, running the site, generating content, or moderating a message board. Does your support group like to eat? There will plenty of chances to help with parties or potlucks! And remember,. just showing up for meetings and events is a great way to support the group.
Don't forget to ask your children for ideas and suggestions for the support group!
When choosing a homeschooling support group, keep these questions in mind:
Is it important to me that the group is faith-based?
Many of the homeschooling support groups in Southern Arizona are Christian-based, meaning that the members of those groups subscribe to and support certain beliefs. The religious basis for these groups evolved out of specific needs that its membership wanted to address. Other support groups are inclusive, which means that members are welcome no matter what their religion, politics, or lifestyle might be.
What are the ages of the children in the group, and are there enough children in that group who are close in age to my child/children?
Does my style of homeschooling fit with that support group?
Support groups also vary by styles of homeschooling. Some groups encourage "school-at-home" learning, using traditional curricula. Others support "unschooling" or self-directed learning, where the interests of the child determine the direction of the learning, and where learning takes place through a variety of methods, such as using original sources rather than textbooks, learning by doing rather than by rote. And some groups nurture a more eclectic approach to learning, which might combine traditional methods for some subjects, with a less formal approach for other subjects. These approaches contribute to the flavor of the group, for example, whether a group encourages diversity or emphasizes conformity.
Does the group's organizational style fit me is it very structured or is it loosely structured?
Because members themselves are developing the programs and activities of their own support groups, each group develops its own character and flavor. Some groups will be very structured, with boards of directors, assigned jobs, membership requirements, and rules. Others will be loosely structured, sometimes to the point of seeming haphazardly arranged. How much structure are you comfortable with?
On a personal note, my family has been involved with homeschooling support groups for many years. Among the benefits to my family: my children have had opportunities to form a writers' group for young people, rehearse a Shakespeare play, serve a veterinary internship, learn chemistry, and participate in discussion groups; my husband has developed business contacts; and I have had the chance to develop leadership and public speaking skills, plus learn about web site design and content. And all of us have made many good friends through homeschooling groups. The possibilities for growth and learning are limitless. That is the beauty of homeschooling, that you are provided with the realization that learning and education do not occur in just one setting, that learning is a life-long vocation.
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TO JOIN SDH, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR $10 ($5 AFTER JANUARY) DUES TO ALICE G., COMPLETE THIS FORM FOR THE SDH ROSTER AND RETURN TO SHARON A.
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