HomeschoolNYC
HomeschoolNYC Newsletter
Celebrating Child-led LearningVol. VI, issue 2
April, 2015  
At last we can go outdoors, take a walk, bring along a field guide, and wonder at the beauty of spring.  It is a time for new beginnings: take a new approach, sing a new song, learn something new!  Register for the AERO Conference, an inspiring collective of alternative educators.  Some great speakers are presenting this year, including Sugata Mitra (see the notice below).  But just a walk in the park can yield a discovery.  Listen to birdsong!  Collect and identify leaves!  Make up a new game!  Bring a book or sketchpad, and soak up the season.
 
Ten Tips for Teaching History
Tips for Teaching History
Favorite Historical Fiction
Historical Field Trips
Make a Timeline
Quote by Marge Piercy
AERO 2015 Conference
Life Without Instructions Conference
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      If you think history is old news, buried in dull textbooks, then it's time to jump-start this study in a new direction. Here is a list of ten techniques that will liven things up, no matter what period of history you are teaching or studying!

       The most important tip is to ... READ MORE... 

 


Here is a list of personal favorite choices in American historical fiction.  You will also find library booklists for historical fiction, and recommended history magazines for kids.
 

New York History Field Trips

New York City and State is rich in history!  In these links you will find permanent museum collections that appeal to children, interactive exhibits made for kids, displays ranging from antique toys to arms and armor, and thrilling reenactments. 
 

My kids made their first timeline when they were kindergarten age. In my initial example I drew a line segment and put a dot at either end, marking one end with the date of my birth and the other with the current date.  ... READ MORE ...

 


Quote by Marge Piercy    

"Never doubt that you can change history. 
You already have."
~ Marge Piercy (1936-), poet, novelist, social activist 

 

 



It's not too late to register!

The annual AERO Conference empowers alternative educators from all around the world.  This year we will gather from May 20-24, at LIU CW Post Campus in Brookville, NY (near NYC).  Keynote speakers include Sugata Mitra, famous for his TED talk "Build a School in the Cloud" and his "Hole in the Wall" experiment.  I love Mitra's definitions of the grandmother paradigm and Child Driven Education.  My workshop is scheduled for Friday, May 24, at 10:45 am.  The focus will be on child-led learning as a personal awakening.  I will discuss student-led techniques in the classroom setting, how to help students ask their own questions, find their interests, and make self-discovery a part of their process.  I hope to see you there!

Read my reviews of past AERO conferences:
Learning Without Instructions
New Conference for Homeschoolers and Self-Directed Learners!
 
You will hear from "experts and speakers on unschooling, peaceful parenting and other relevant topics to today's life- learning families" at the first annual Life Without Instructions Conference, Oct 5 - 8 in East Rutherford, NJ (six miles from Manhattan).  Featured speakers include Peter Gray (Freedom to Learn).  My talk is about homeschooling on a self-directed path to college.  Join us!

    Education Uncensored

book cover
Here's what people are saying about Laurie's book:

"I would like to tell the parents reading this who haven't yet read your book, Education Uncensored:  'Please Do!'  I finished reading it a few weeks ago but haven't been able to put it away in my library, nor have I been willing to lend it out.  For those of you haven't read it yet, it is part memoir, part education book, part homeschooling primer, all wonderful."
~Mary O'Riordan, Ed.D, educator and homeschooling parent 
 
"You made me laugh, you made me cry, and you inspired me. I can literally hear your voice, and love your storytelling and your wisdom and just the whole package. I'm stimulated and filled with ideas for my own teaching."  

~ Dr. Bonnie Shulman, professor of mathematics, Bates College   

 

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciated meeting you and reading your book. It is terrific, and for me, the best part was its New York perspective. I know no other book available to homeschoolers that so overtly references an urban perspective."  
~ David Albert, author of And the Skylark Sings with Me and other books 
 
"Laurie's evolution as a teacher and life-long involvement in the world of education has given her a profound understanding of the problems that plague today's schools. This book offers an insightful look at how an increasingly standardized system is robbing our children of their individuality and passion for learning. Additionally, it provides innovative how-to curriculums for anyone involved or interested in educating children."  
~ Ellen Labiner, homeschooling parent and special educator
 
Available now at HomeschoolNYC.com
Price: $12.95 plus shipping & handling
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