Any way to move it? Nuts!

I envision the future of education as a return to home-based or neighborhood learning cooperatives as the school districts are unable to maintain heat, lunches and transportation in the long term. That’s my starting premise.

For those of you who dont’ know, HEad Start is a grant funded program serving families who income qualify by meeting 100% (or sometimes up to 130%) of the US Federal Poverty Level. The poverty levels are very low. We serve the poorest of the poor.

Our HS program has four components; Education, Health & Nutrition, Child & Community (Disabilities) and Family Services. We offer a two day four hour preschool program to three and four year old children.

Our Education component is self-evident and what most people associate with preschool. We are an exceptionally GOOD preschool program We follow strict guidelines when hiring teachers and require vast amounts of teacher education – eventually you will have to have an AA degree or a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education to work at HS.

What is less visible initially is our other three components, and this is where we differ from other preschool programs and public education. We have a strong emphasis on family involvement. Our Health & Nutrition component requires us to serve USDA qualified meals to all of our children following strict guidelines. We feed children basically two of their meals each day they attend. We also educate parents in nutrition, shopping, cooking and serving appropriate food. We also require health checks – all children are required to see a doctor and dentist within 45 days of starting school for basic check ups. We require up-to-date immunizations or appropriate documentation. All children are observed for health issues, such as lice etc

Our Disabilities Coordinator involves parents in several evaluations to screen their children for potential disabilities in hearing, sight, sensory etc. All children found to have some suspected disability are sent to specialists for early evaluation and treatment. She also coordinates with the school districts when the children transition to kindergarten, and attends all meetings wiht the families.

Our Family Services Coordinator has a big job. She works with the Family Advocates at each school who meet directly with each family on a monthly basis to keep families connected to whatever services they require and qualify for (WIC, housing assistance etc).

What I’m getting at is that I hope that education in general could incorporate these aspects into reading and ‘riting. Involving families, looking into health and nutrition, helping folks mitigate the effects of poverty whenever possible. Our model feeds children food so they can learn better, helps families reduce stress and gives them access to resources, reduces child abuse and screens for potential problems. Eventually, I could see a very wholistic home-based part day school system where several families hire an out-of-work teacher adn work together to educate their children and meet their basic needs.

Brad, I think Eric and I can navigate this – we’ve been teacher/student many times in multiple combinations. It will be interesting, but cool, to have it be his CSA, though. I don’t see him going for astrology, however – the skill set is non-overlapping, and he’s not someone who believes in its value.

Jen, he is taking one of his courses online for the first time this summer, and that is an option – but at least through the state system, it pays very poorly, compared to his faculty job.

Robyn, you could sue . Not that you’d get much, but you could. But really, the best stories are all the ones that get told over and over again with light variations – I’m all for as many variants as possible.

Mash, the books I put first on the list were: Hemenway’s _Gaia’s Garden_, _Seed Starting and Saving_, Lee Reich’s _Weedless Gardening_, Mel Bartholomew’s _Square Foot Gardening_, Eliot Coleman’s _The Four Season Harvest_, _The New Victory Garden_, Jeavon’s _How to Grow More Vegetables_, _The Weeds of the Northeast_ and Stout’s _How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back_ – but I’ve got more for him .

Sharon

Sharon

This is a tough one. On the one hand, you have every reason to be proud of your farming/gardening accomplishments.

But now, you won’t be the “farmer” in the family, you will be “one of the farmers”. Similar to what happens to the first child, when a second arrives. Worlds expand, painfully.

In one sense, establishing a formal master/journeyman relationship with regards to farming would make sense – you would have an agreed-upon role in monitoring and guiding Eric’s progress. Or teacher/student.

Yet, it will quickly come to be, that Eric begins to establish his authority within his chosen realm – the CSA, for now. His knowledge will grow within his chosen realm. Eric will almost surely find different authorities and references more meaningful and appropriate.

Taking things informally, as Eric suggests, has a few pitfalls built in. As The Frantics put it in their skit Tai Kwan Leep “It is wrong to tip the vessel of knowledge.” Taking on more writing means more blocked-out large chunks of time – and any distraction will be costly. So you may not be as “available” – or as “inexpensive” to the family, in the long run – as it may appear to Eric.

Eric might consider keeping up with his astronomy, only turning to the paying side – astrology. Let him get good at telling fortunes, casting horoscopes, and he will have a sideline and continued investment in astronomy.

If Eric will be at home – is another computer investment required? Just wondering..