New Quarter

Well, the Summer Quarter has been over a month now and it is time to get the Fall Quarter off to a good start. I am excited to be working with so many Seniors this year. It will be a year of amazing growth and transition.

We will be covering the Sciences this year. The basic schedule will be:
8:45-10:00 Math-- Most are in Alg II and Calculus
10:00-11:30 Physical Science or Anatomy and Physiology
11:30-12:30 Lunch Break
12:30-1:30 Literature (mostly Science Fiction or history of science)
1:30-3:00 Biology or Chemistry
3:00-4:00 open study and tutoring in personal study areas

There will still be plenty of time in the schedule for students to spend time on their passions, like Photography, Film, Music, Creative Writing, and Art.

Graduation

As most people know, I’m not at my very best in giving speeches, but my graduation means a great deal to me. The Ross Griffin Resource Center has been such an important part of my life, and this graduation is something that’s both exciting and sad. Exciting because of the future that lies beyond, and sad because this program and everyone in it has meant so much to me. It’s like I’m leaving a family that I have grown to care for and cherish.

When I look back at my life I wonder what it would be like if I had never found The Ross Griffin Resource Center. If I had not started going to school at the center, I would have never met half the people I know. I would have never come to this church or even to All Saints.

I have learned so many things from the center. I have learned not only how to be a better student, but also a better person. I learned how to control my anger better. Ms Barb made me learn that even though I did not want to. I was so stubborn, I still am, just not as much. Ms Barb was patient but determined, and taught me so much but I will always remember the battles we had over math. I realize now that even when I thought that I was not learning anything or it was too hard, I was learning more then I could ever know. I would not be as much of a writer as I am now if not for Mr. Dirk and everyone else.

I know I still have much to learn, and maybe that’s the most important thing we can ever really learn: that there is always more to know. The fact I’m giving this speech now is proof of how far I’ve come. Not just because I’m graduating, but because six years ago when I started, I would never have imagined myself being able to talk like this in front of everyone.

The school and my friends have not just helped guide my education, but my self confidence and desire to learn more. I can’t think of any better thing that someone can teach you other than that. I am not as afraid of getting up in front of people and reading my work anymore. Ms Sandie has helped me out so much with every so many things, not just as an instructor, but also as a friend and mentor. She helped me with my school assignments, to communicate and understand my mother’s perspective and views outside of my own.

Everyone here takes such pride in so many odd things, like all of the cooking and recipes and the team building it nurtured. But the one thing they haven’t realized is that we were never really just cooking or making something for lunch. We were the real ingredients in the school’s recipe, and what we were preparing wasn’t something to eat, but our own futures. I hope I live up to everyone’s faith and confidence in me, and I’ll always cherish my friends and instructors.

Mentoring

It is especially helpful for older students who are struggling to mentor or tutor younger students. This gives both students a sense of pride and accomplishment. The Timeline assignments can easily be tailored to challenge, without frustrating, students working at many different levels. Working on timelines also help students connect the events and people they are reading and writing about.

Growing the Resource Center

I have been reading a blog lately called How to Change the World, A Practical blog for impractical people, by Guy Kawasaki. He just posted this summary he wrote about the book by Lois Kelly. I used his examples as a writing exercise because so far word of mouth is the only advertising we have used for our business. I am looking into others, but this was a great exercise for me.

“Lois Kelly is the author of Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing. This is her explanation of the top nine types of stories that people like to talk about. If you’re pitching your company to investors, customers, partners, journalists, vendors, or employees and you don’t use at least one of these types of stories, you probably have a problem.”

Aspirations and beliefs. We believe all young people are capable of reaching their goals. We aspirer to create an environment that encourages dreams and passions to grow. We believe that all people are part of a global community. We aspire to teach students and parents ways to enrich and care for that community, small daily choices have long term global impacts.

David vs. Goliath. In the story of David and Goliath, the young Hebrew David took on the Philistine giant Goliath and beat him. Homeschooling continues to take on Traditional Schooling, it continues to prove itself. An education based on the principles set forth in Thomas Jefferson Education continues to successfully challenge the educational conveyor belt mindset that even many home schoolers have fallen into.

Avalanche about to roll. Many students today are not equipped with an education that will see them into the new century. The material they are being taught is out of date often before the textbook is even printed. If a student isn't given the skills they need to solve problems, do research, think logically, be creative, and lead others they will be left behind.

Contrary to popular belief, mentoring is a more successful way to educate than teaching. Mentoring involves many years of dedicated work on the part of the mentor and the student. The mentor's job is to inspire, the student's job is to educate themselves.

Counterintuitive, giving students more control of their studies may seem counterintuitive. In reality a student who is interested in their studies, studies much more. A student who is given control over what they study chooses to study subjects that are relevant to their lives and interests. When given a choice between two or three classics they feel their opinions matter. They find the motivation within themselves to learn. It is that skill, the ability to learn, that will see them through life.

Challenging widely-held assumptions that say “children are buckets to be filled”, here we say “children are tiny sparks of flame waiting to be fanned”. Children are learning all the time. Are you teaching them that they are capable and in control of their destinies, or are you teaching them that they need others to validate them and lead them to the 'right' answers?

Anxieties. Are your children learning how to learn? Are they self-motivated? Do they help around the house just because they feel needed and necessary? Do they show respect to other people? Do they show kindness to those in need? These are the things we think are much more important than reading scores and math scores. Reading and math are important, but being a self-reliant, self motivated, and kind person is more important.

Personalities and personal stories. I was one of those kids who was smarter than everyone else in class, but got the worst grades. I failed more often than I succeeded. I would start every year with “this year will be different” attitude. It never was, by Thanksgiving I was failing again. Usually it was because I didn't see things the same way the teachers did. I also refused to do busy work, why do 100 of the exact same thing when I understood it after 5 times. I scored A's on all my tests, was there for most classes, passed all my quizzes, I tutored the other students, but because I didn't turn in homework I usually received averages lower than 65%. A few of my teachers fudged the scores and gave me D's just so I could pass. I wouldn't play the system. Then after avoiding it, I finally got talked into going to college by my husband and I blossomed! Teachers didn't give busy work because they left it up to us how to learn the material. They respected my different way of seeing the world, they respected an opinion that challenged theirs and they made me feel smart for the first time in my life. I was allowed to choose what I want to study! And unlike most people who continue to change majors, I kept adding majors. When I finished I ended up with degrees in Geography with concentrations in Earth Science, Ecology, and Cartography, in Fine Arts with concentrations in Photography and Design, in Humanities with concentrations in Literature, Theater and Speech.

Over the last 25 years I have been an educator of some kind. For the last 13 years I have been successfully helping home schoolers and their parents chart a new course, try a 'new' way to learn that is based on the 'oldest' ways. This Resource Center was started because I believe every child deserves the chance to be all they were created to be.

How-to stories and advice. An example of how our teaching methods differ would be how we take a simple recipe or food item and use it to teach culture, art, geography, history, science, math, life skills, cooking, health, ecology and even global responsibility. With a bag of oranges and group of middle schoolers, we would look at a map and see where oranges grow, we would notice they grow around the equator, we would introduce the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This would lead us to a discussion about how the sun travels and why we have seasons. We would also talk about tropical zones and how we can help protect them. Then we would talk about recipes that use oranges, what kinds of people first used oranges. Why did sailors need oranges on long trips? How did oranges spread all over the world? What properties does an orange have? When is a mild acid needed in a recipe? What is special about an orange that it keeps other fruits from turning brown? How many varieties of oranges are there? How many have we tasted? How could a late frost, strong storms, hurricanes, gas prices, or fires change the price of our orange? How many stops does the orange make before it ends up in our kitchen? Then before we cut it up, how would we find the surface area of an orange? Can we draw a map of the world on it then cut it to make a flat map from the globe? What does it mean to quarter an orange? After we cut it, what decorative ways can we put it on the plate? What other foods would you serve with it? What is a quarter of something? How many quarters in 3 oranges? All of this learning and much more from a 'simple' orange.

Glitz and glam. We are not very glamorous. We have no glitz either. However, we are standing on the shoulders of lots of famous educators: George Wythe, Maria Montessori, John Holt, John Gotto, Grace Llewellyn, Charlotte Mason, Charles L. Shedd, and even Socrates himself. It is on these and other giants of education we base our very successful methods.

Seasonal/event-related. We are not seasonally related. Education is something that happens 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It is not something that can be put in a box and checked off. Education is a way of life, it is based on habits instilled early and modeled by parents and mentors.

RGRC's Purpose

Friday, June 24, 2005

The Ross Griffin Resource Center’s purpose is to work in partnership with the individual learner and his or her family to enrich academics and develop these seven skills: This group of skills comes from “How to Raise a Self-Reliant Child in a Self-Indulgent World.”

1) Perceptions of personal capabilities-- capable of facing problems and learning through challenges and experiences

A few of the practical ways we do these are: 1000-5000 piece puzzles, student lead group projects, conflict resolution with role playing, reading and studying classical literature together. We help student plan and follow through with projects that interest and challenge them, mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.

2) Perceptions of personal significance-- capable of contributing in meaningful ways and believing that life has meaning and purpose

This perception is fostered when individuals are given tasks and responsibilities that benefit the whole group. At the center many students are asked to tutor other students, this is meaningful and they truly understand that. The students also help with daily “chores” that make life easier for everyone. Because they contribute they feel ownership of the program.

3) Perceptions of personal influence over life-- capacity to understand that one's actions and choices influence one's life and hold one accountable

This perception is easy to squash in a young person if your not very careful. Actions must have logical consequences, good and bad. Young people need to understand their choices affect their lives and the lives of those around them. Here at RGRC we encourage making choices, because then students gain wisdom. When they develop wisdom they make even better choices. Good literature and movies that are truly discussed can help us learn a little less painfully the consequences of harmful choices.

4) Intrapersonal skills-- capacity to manage emotions through self-assessment, self-control, and self-discipline

All people need to be able to do honest self-assessments so that they can continue to work to be all they were created to be… it is a lifelong process. Here at RGRC we regular sit down with students to evaluate skills, interests and passions for the purpose of self-assessment. You have to be able to identify your weakness so that you can work on them. Learning and applying a strong work ethic is critical for young people. As teachers and parents we cannot make them do anything, we can make their lives miserable if we choose because we don’t like their choices, but admitting that they have control of themselves is necessary and difficult. Once we acknowledge that to them and to ourselves—they usually become more cooperative because they have nothing left to prove. Then they -not us- become responsible for that behavior as well.

5) Interpersonal skills-- capacities necessary to deal effectively with others through communication, cooperation, negotiation, sharing, empathizing, and listening

I wish I had a penny for every time I have asked a young person –“Do you know that you are being rude?” Or “Did you know you had other choices of behavior?” While sometimes they admit that the behavior might be rude, they honestly did not have another behavior in their bag of skill to choose from. So “let’s talk about what else you could have done”; seems to be so much a part of my speech that the kids would love to have a penny for every time I say it!

6) Systemic skills-- capacity for responding to the limits, consequences, and interrelatedness of human and natural systems with responsibility, adaptability, flexibility, and integrity.

Students, Mentors, and Parents of RGRC get to work on this skill. Since we all work together to become better human beings the interrelatedness shows up often for good and bad. For things to work in a less structured environment everyone must do their part or the day doesn’t run as smoothly as it should. Students learn that they can either help or hurt the day with their choice of behavior. The rewards for keeping their integrity and being adaptable are not just a great academic day, but they also develop a sense of leadership responsibility to the community. They feel great about the fact they “held it together” when other were just “goofing off.”

7) Judgment skills-- capacity for making decisions and choices that reflect moral and ethical principles, wisdom, and values.
Here at RGRC we role play this over and over and over so that when our students are faced with making decisions they have not only the ability, but also the confidence and practice. Classical literature also plays a big role in learning judgment skills. Students have access to 5000 plus years of human wisdom, ethics and values at their fingertips. They have learned through Hector, Hercules, Moses, Jesus, Caesar, Arthur, Joan, and so many more to stand up for what is right for the good of all –even if it means pain for you. They know that it is their responsibility to leave the world a better place than they found it.

teacher vs. mentor

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Since I said I was the antithesis of a teacher I think I need to explain the differences I see between teachers and mentors. Before I do though I want to make it clear that mentors are found everywhere –in schools, in homeschools, at work, in the community, at church etc. Teachers are found everywhere too!

How is a mentor different from a teacher?

A teacher often tells you important information.

A mentor provides the opportunity for you to discover the information.

For example: Teachers spend much of their time in the classroom giving lectures while the students take notes. Mentors give students thought provoking questions and books then wait patiently while the students discover and discuss what they have learned.

A teacher tells you to read a book; then tests you on your retention of the facts.

A mentor reads a book with you; then discusses how that book changed you both.

For example: Both the mentor and teacher might assign Iliad as the next classic to tackle. The teacher would then give a true/false, multiple guess, maybe even short answer or essay questions that ask you about the hero, the plot, the time period, the character tension and the climax. Then assign you a grade on the Iliad, so you can promptly forget you ever read it.

The mentor would read the Iliad with you discussing all these things as they came up, but your “test” on the Iliad would be a written reflection on which character made better decisions and why, or which character are you most like and why, or pretend to be a war correspondent covering the Trojan War. After you turn in this written work the mentor would discuss its strong point points and its weak points with you. Then you would go back and rework your paper, you would repeat this process until the paper is the best it could possibly be. You and your mentor would often refer back to this work as you tackle your future assignments.

A teacher imparts the same information to each student equally.

A mentor observes each student and makes suggestions based on their individual needs, passions, or skill levels.

For example: In a conveyor belt system of education, all 6yr olds must cover a,b,c and then 7 yr olds cover d,e,f and so on and so with topics repeating every two to three years. Teachers are locked into the pages they must cover and the requirements they must reach in each grade or subject.

In a leadership education, there is room for individuality. One 6yr old can be learning to read, while another one is already reading independently. One 14 yr old can be spending all their time studying science and the lives of great scientists, while another is studying history and culture through the humanities. Both will be emulating important people who changed our world for the better.

A teacher understands his/her job to be that of educating.

A mentor understands his/her job to be that of inspiring the students to educate themselves.

For example: Teachers often think of students as empty buckets to be filled, but mentors often think of students as brightly growing gardens that just need a little tending. A bucket can never fill itself, but a flower garden will grow even if left alone. The full bucket’s purpose is to be dumped some day. A garden’s job is to create beauty and seeds for new gardens. With just a little care the garden and the gardener can create something together that is enjoyed by many generations.

My very, very first blog post ever!!

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

My name is Sandie and I am a mentor. I started out as a teacher, but soon figured out that I can only present information, students must educate themselves. That is why I call myself a mentor. I am the antithesis of a teacher and I direct a program that is the antithesis of a school. I work primarily, but not exclusively, with homeschooled students and their parents.

A funny thing happens when all "school type" work becomes voluntary. Suddenly, you find yourself reading classics with kids for the sheer pleasure it brings everyone. You find yourself involved in complex challenging algebra problems just because solving them is as rewarding as learning to ollie on a skateboard for the first time. Solving chemical molarity problems becomes as easy as figuring out if you have what you need to make a cake.

In this blog I plan to document how this program works. I will be publishing student papers as well as my own thoughts. I will be challenging my readers to look at their traditionally held views of education. I will someday change the way we educate children here in the U.S.