Ranting Mama

Au Pair information

2012-02-12T22:22:00.000-08:00

Once I've been asked for the same information close to ten timesin usually ends up on this blog where I can update and point towards it. Because I've had five au pairs (including one that didn't work out) andbecause I'm emphatic about how my au pairs have saved my sanity, I often getasked about the process, the costs and the best way to go about getting an aupair. This week I was asked twice. So...

AGENCIES

Asanyone who asks know, I dislike all au pair agencies and I wish there were away to do it without them but due to visa requirements, as far as I know,they're a necessary evil. I've used www.CulturalCare.com (threetimes) and www.AuPaircare.com once. They have pretty much the same policies. Au Pair care used to be abit more expensive, but they both currently post $7600 as the agency fee.

AuPair has a matching process, which gives families the ability to look atmultiple candidates at a time.

Iprefer Cultural Care mostly because it has one of the largest poolof au pair's of all the agencies I've considered. It used to be thatyou could only look at one at a time though they've changed that. Theyalso now have a video clip of most au pairs so you can get a sense of them. Overall, I much prefer Cultural Care. I also have a very good LCC(Local Childcare Consultant), Cassandra Robinson, who doesa very good job as liason (although we don't usually need a lot of help) andwho supports the au pairs in adjusting to their jobs and new homes.

COST

Thebase cost works out to be between ~$17000 and ~$18000 a year ($~10K to AP and~$8K to the agency which is the yearly fee, plus flight supplements). That works out to about $1,450 per month. Financially that worksout to about the same cost for 45 hours of time (though I usually only use 40to try and be fair) as a part-time nanny working about 20 hours (at least inthe Bay Area where nannies are about $18 per hour). This number doesn'tinclude incremental food costs, miscellaneous extra costs like an AP cell phone(I use metro pcs for $40 per month) and extra insurance if they're going todrive your car. But in exchange for this extra cost, you get the addedbenefit of being able to schedule hours when you need them (not when the nannyis available) and the benefits of the cultural exchange and wonderful lifelongrelationship for yourself and your kids.

Au Pair Costs

agency fee	7,600
stipend	10,140
car gas	260
car insurance	800
food	3,640
education	500
mobile phone	480
travel	1,000

totals	24,420

Iwould say that the numbers above are conservative since some of the figures arenegotiable. For example, if you don't travel (or don't take your au pairwith you) you won't have the travel costs. On the other hand, if youtravel more luxuriously than we do, it may be higher. Also, yourinsurance costs may be different, depending upon your car, your agent etc...This year, for some reason, my insurance didn’t go up much at all, so the $800listed is inaccurate. I’vealso probably estimated on the high side for food; likely the incremental foodincrease isn’t that big unless you have an au pair who eats raw or otherspecialty foods and expects you to buy them (definitely best to find outbeforehand.) I would saythat $24,420 is a worst-case scenario and the actual number probably isprobably closer to $22,000 for the year.

MATCHING

Thematching process is the most difficult and time-consuming part of the process. Because fit is so important I spend a lot of time looking at videos andapplications and reading between the lines of potential candidates. Sadly, youhave to make cultural (and other) stereotypes as a starting point, which is notalways fair but is often helpful.

Lastyear I realized that it might be easier to have my au pair's choose me (or atleast rule the wrong ones out with less effort on my part) so I created a blog with information and letters frommy previous au pairs so I'd have something to point candidatestowards.

I'mhappy to give you my interview questions and my AP manual (best emailed). I have also interviewed potential au pairs for friends, as it's nice toget another perspective.

MyAPs have saved my life and my sanity!!! For the right family (and Idefinitely DO understand that's not everyone is willing to have a “stranger”live with them; other don’t have space etc.) it's a fantastic choice. However,I honestly don't know how anyone homeschools more than two kids without an AP(hats off to you!). In my case, our six-year age gap and choice to leadvery busy lives means that another adult is indispensible.

Ifyou decide to explore the possibility of getting an au pair and think you’dlike to go with either Cultural Care of Au Pair care, let me know. If you're willing to give my name asreferring you that would be great for me (I think they give me a small discountreferral fee on my next au pair, although that still remains to be seen.)

Hopethat helps! If you havequestions please ask.

A Decade Later - 9/11/11

2011-09-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

It's been 10 years since the devastating events of 9/11 and ten years of often equally devastating responses to 9/11. It seems like a good day to post the open letter I wrote in the days directly following that shocking morning, before the words "United We Stand" had been claimed by fear-mongers. I am saddened by the fact that so much of our collective response turned out to have come from a place of retribution and fear.

September 13, 2001

Dear Friends,

I realize that you’re receiving huge volumes of email after last week’s events yet I’m compelled to add my thoughts. Like most of us, I am still in the midst of making sense of, understanding and healing the trauma, but I do know that last week’s events were a rite of passage for me. As a 36-year-old Canadian living in the US, this is the closest brush I’ve had with atrocities committed by humans beings against human beings. The order of magnitude is shocking and I am experiencing a certain Innocence Lost. My heart is broken and I am afraid!

Coming of age in this way means stepping out from my usual apolitical position. I still do believe that my best contribution is offered one person at a time, however, given the current precarious state of the world, I need to take a bigger stand. I’m moved to appeal for Peace now before we are in the middle of war. I feel compelled to do whatever I can to keep us from that fate.

There’s an article by Canadian journalist Gordon Sinclair traveling around these days. Sinclair expresses appreciation for all that America has done for others and asserts that America is not appreciated enough. But I say, now is the time of true reckoning. In the coming days and weeks, we as a society will show our real colors. How will America respond when her financial foundations have been shaken? When past actions have been challenged and her values are in question? What will America do when her children have been threatened, hurt and even killed en masse?

As I watch the flags of patriotism and hear the cries of God Bless America rising up here in San Francisco I can only hope that Americans will stand together for the values of Life, Liberty and Freedom for all people. My fear, however, as I read the headlines and do my best to interpret the actions and comments of our leaders, is that those values may be protected only for “us” and that the concept of “us” will be open for interpretation with resulting grief and pain for many.

This morning I read in the New York Times a poll stating that approximately 60% of Americans believe military action should be taken even if thousands of innocent lives are lost.

People far more informed and knowledgeable than I have outlined how we cannot win by striking back. In my opinion, no one ever wins in war and victory in this case is especially elusive given the nature of the enemy. But if America absolutely must strike out and retaliate (for whatever comfort or satisfaction that will bring!?), I, for one, pray that it be against only those individuals proven to be personally responsible. Now more than ever let’s protect the innocent at all cost. Not just our innocent, but also every innocent citizen of the world.

I’m not saying there are easy answers in times as vastly complex as these. But I do hope that we stand together in our grief and anger and rise above the self-righteous perpetration of death and destruction. Better for us to look at the many ways we have repeatedly contributed to violence and instead use our intelligence to somehow break the cycle. And as one of the most powerful nations in the world, the real test for our leaders now is finding the true resilience, strength, power and courage to rise above a primal response so that they may represent us as a civil nation that truly does justice to the values held dearly by so many Americans.

United we stand, divided we fall. Let this be our global anthem. And may searching for the way be our path.

With Love and Hope,

-Lisa

Ps. In case you’ve made it this far…The power of the internet to promote hopeful (and other) messages is great. I’ve received many, many letters speaking to the current plight, which is symbolized by Tuesday’s terrorist events. Three of the most deserving of propagation, in my opinion are a message from Deepak Chopra, a letter from the Dalai Lama to President Bush and an article by Afghani-American writer Tamim Ansary. If you’d like to read them just let me know and I’ll forward them to you.

Dana LaCroix - House Concert in Belmont, CA

2011-08-25T18:51:00.001-07:00

Dana LaCroix Solo

Tuesday, August 30 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Address and directions will be sent to those on the guest list at:
http://bit.ly/DLconcertGuests

Because we have limited space I need to keep track of attendees. Could you please update your attendance.

--
Well, Hurricane Irene has had us on the run. It's been touch and go, with cancelled flights, flooded road, and re-routing more than once but it looks like Dana and guitar will arrive tired buy energized by your presence and ready to put on a show tomorrow (Tuesday Aug 30th)

Dana LaCroix will do two rocking solo sets of original music from her new album. Kids are welcome as long as they like music and will want to listen...and how could you not!?

Check out Dana's music before the evening at CD baby. Here's the link to Dana's most recent album, Jump In! YOu can also listen to excerpts or buy Faith in You.

And then come out and enjoy Dana's fantastic lively self in-person for the first time in California! I'll have some soup on and you're welcome to bring a bite to share. Come and hang out and "break bread" anytime after 6pm. The first set will be at 7pm.

By Donation Only. This concert is also by invitation only; If you know someone who would like an invitation please let me know.
-Lisa

"Gifted" or Not?

2011-07-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

I wrote this today in response to a friend's request for info and realize that it fits into the category of topics-I-get-asked-about-often-enough-to-preserve-for-future-use and so am posting it here. This particular friend was wanting more information on giftedness because she couldn't figure out what was going on for her 9 year old son and was beginning to the look at the possibilities of giftedness because she'd read that it sometimes masqueraded as giftedness. She wanted an basic intro into the concept and realities of giftedness.

Giftedness can be simple to define, if you think in terms of IQ:

· Mildly Gifted -- 115 to 129

· Moderately Gifted -- 130 to 144

· Highly Gifted -- 145 to 159

· Exceptionally Gifted -- 160 to 179

· Profoundly Gifted -- 180

Most people dislike defining it in this way because it's so limited and so label-y. Still a kid's test results can often provide insight; the further they test from the average 100 IQ the more specific their needs will be, and the less well they will fit in with a typical grouping of kids, both academically and socially. Some people reject the idea of giftedness based on the fact that, occasionally, even gifted children don't test well in spite of (or sometimes because of a very high degree) of traits usually associated with giftedness.

There is also the huge problem of terminology which manages to turn of critics of "giftedness" and even "gifted"-oriented parents and professionals; The word "gifted" is an irritating misnomer. Critics accurately point out that all kids are "gifted" and of course that is true!! The problem is that the word as used by those of us who have no better word for what we mean, generally is referring to intellectual advancement or unusual academic requirements. In some the unique requirements best suited for highly or profoundly gifted learner are as extreme as the special needs of severely handicapped child in the other direction. IQ outliers require radical differences in learning; In my opinion all kids need, or at least really benefit from, individualization but kids on the high end of the giftedness scales often need much, much more, and not receiving it can be damaging in a myriad of ways.

I think this list is a very good indictor of giftedness (in spite of testing results or in the case of no testing) and it matches my experience of what "giftedness" looks like:

· Extremely Curious

· Intense interests

· Excellent memory

· Long attention span

· Excellent reasoning skills

· Well-developed powers of abstraction, conceptualization, and synthesis

· Quickly and easily sees relationships in ideas, objects, or facts

· Fluent and flexible thinking

· Elaborate and original thinking

· Excellent problem solving skills

· Learns quickly and with less practice and repetition

· Unusual and/or vivid imagination

Linda Silverman, the director of the GDC, has a nice page on identifying gifted kids here, and her list overlaps with the one above:

http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/What_is_Gifted/characgt.htm

This is another good checklist comparing bright and "gifted":

http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Know_if_Your_Child_is_Gifted

Linda and other experts consider that the two subcomponents of IQ testing most strongly correlated with, and indicative of, IQ/giftedness are Verbal Comprehension Index (VCI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI). Often these traits are strong in highly verbal or auditory-sequential people but she's also done research to show that many gifted kids are highly visual-spatial.

Here's a basic intro into gifted visual-spatial learners:

http://www.giftedservices.com.au/StartingPoints/VisualSpatial.html

Giftedness can be mistaken for ADD/ADHD especially, imo, in schools where the academic/intellectual offerings are just too slow for the gifted child. James Webb who is another great resource on gifted issues says:

"Many gifted children are being mis-diagnosed as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The gifted child's characteristics of intensity, sensitivity, impatience, and high motor activity can easily be mistaken for ADHD. Some gifted children surely do suffer from ADHD, and thus have a dual diagnosis of gifted and ADHD; but in my opinion, most are not."

Here is his rather dense article on the topic:

http://www.sengifted.org/articles_counseling/Webb_MisdiagnosisAndDualDiagnosisOfGiftedChildren.shtml

The chart part way down shows which characteristics might be interpreted negatively.

One of the things I've heard as a differentiator is this: If your child seems to have a difficult time maintaining focus on most things, that may be indicative of ADD/ADHD whereas a gifted child will be bored and seem unfocused if the content is too easy or irrelevant to him but will be highly focused in areas of curiosity, challenge or fascination.

Perfectionism (fear of failure) are often found in gifted kids because they've been told how smart they are so often that they get attached to the idea and don't want to prove it wrong. This is not a gifted book per se but I think it's a great resource for helping kids to develop an image of flexibility vis a vis their intelligence and skill. The author, Carol Dweck, dismissed the idea of giftedness when I heard her speak in person, which I wholeheartedly disagree with (beyond the specific word) but I think this book is great in terms of helping children develop a positive "mindset" towards themselves and their learning.

http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol-Dweck/dp/1400062756

As for testing, yes there are lots of people who offer testing in the bay area though it's almost the topic of another full email. Here's an overview of the some of the different types of testing:

IQ testing; usually one of the Weschler set of tests and usually the WISC IV, for ~4-16 years of age, I believe:

http://www.psychpage.com/learning/library/intell/wisciv_hx.html

This test ceilings at 160.

Achievement testing: for the purpose of evaluating degree of knowledge and proficiency (ie grade level) in an area or set of areas; GDC uses the Woodcock-Johnston battery.

Qualitative Testing; this was developed by AnneMarie Roeper and she has a protege in the Bay area who does this kind of testing. Some people see this to be in the all-kids-are-gifted camp but I know some local families who have received useful qualitative information from QA.

http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/PDF_files/AMR%20Symposium%20Paper.pdf

Neuropsychological assessment; evaluates brain-based impairment and functioning; often used for kids who have extreme disfunction or brain-based problems.

http://www.bapta.com/np_testing.htm

This is just a small tip of a big iceberg and I hope it helps in some way. Let me know if I can help in any other way.

-Lisa

Future Outdoor Shower Site

2011-07-09T17:51:00.001-07:00

Both sides of the wall of my future outdoor shower

Resources for my 12-year old school friend

2011-06-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

One of the my favorite things to be asked is: "Do you know of any good learning resources for my kid?" So, I was thrilled when one of my dearest friends wanted some ideas for her son (my "god"son). Here's the fast list I put together today; she was looking for math, language and book ideas for her son who is a budding future politician.

As a homeschooler, I spend a lot of my time seeking out resources and am lucky enough to be connected with an awesome, brainy, committed group of 240 other families who also spend time looking for great direct-to-consumer learning opportunities.

Here's today's list:

Math

Khan Academy

Awesome, free, progressive math etc. I think you will be amazed and thrilled.

Aleks Math

Pretty good but not sure there's any value add for the money. ($99.95 for 6 months, free trial)

Humanities

If the kids ever need any supplementation or want to do learning during the summer, and they're good with computer learning check out this option, created by my friend Jaime and very popular with homeschoolers and our community:

G3 Online

In the fall Kaizen is doing Linguistics and American Government which I believe are both not good times for Alexander. (2pm on Mondays EST and noon on Fridays EST).

There is a summer course which A might be interested in (politics) on Animal Farm, if it doesn't conflict with his camps. Class meets Tues and Thurs for 4 weeks starting next week at 4pm Toronto time ($79):

Another friend, has a similar business, which is also very well-regarde. I have not yet tried the AA classes though I am considering the National Mythology Exam Prep class.

Athena's Academy

French

G3 offers the discounted Rosetta Stone online for G3 kids and others. I think this link will take you to the online enrollment page.

Some book recommendations from my prolific-reader, science-fiction-loving, humorous-book-appreciating 12 year old

Ender's Game series

Huge favorite with lots of our kids; thought-provoking; some mature themes so might want to read together if child is sensitive or you are protective. I believe this is more true of the second book. K says "if they liked "Hunger Games" they'll probably like this too".

Orson Scott Card has many other books and series which are also loved but Ender's Game is the big fave.

The True Meaning of Smekday

K says, "funny and super good!"

Dune

Pretty classic adult-ish sci-fi

K liked this quite a bit which I could NOT understand having never been able to get into it. I tried it when I was about 17 and a high school friend highly recommended it.

The Phantom Tollbooth

K says "very good"

Restaurant at the End of the Universe series

K and most of his friends love this series!

House of the Scorpion and other Nancy Farmer

K says that he "likes most Nancy Farmer, especially HotS and the first of the Sea of Trolls trilogy" He did not much like the 2nd, "Land the Silver Apples" so hasn't read the third.

Wrinkle in Time

K said: The first two are awesome; the third is not as great

Gary Paulsen; Hatchet and The River

K liked these and thought of Hatchet first

Neil Shusterman "is good". Start with Unwind

K also loves Daniel Pinkwater with recent particular favorites being 4 Fantastic Novels and the Neddiad.

I've heard good things about these books and have just ordered for Kaizen:

Abarat

The Short History of the World

Terry Pratchett

Especially Going Postal and Making Money

K's younger sister, who is 6 and I recently really enjoyed this book (we listened to it on tape and that version was well-done!) Lois Lowry is usually quite amazing!

Gooney Bird Greene

General

For some great ideas, book lists, inspiration and more online class ideas, check out my friend Suji's awesome

Fun-schooling blog.

Somewhere, Suji mentions this link to Potted Learning. I'm repeating it here because it's a great resource:

I hope this list helps someone else who is like minded and has a bright 12 year-old who could use some new ideas outside of school. There are so many, so this is a tiny tip of the ice-burg!

Living an Exquisite Life in the Face of Death

2011-04-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, J and I had the pleasure of attending the inaugural in-person event for the project called Exquisite. Fifty of us gathered together to recognize and explore the question: What is Exquisite?

The evening began with a meditation, followed by an eye-gazing experience and the tasting of appetizers while blind-folded, so as to heighten the taste sense. Then about a dozen of us shared brief talks on what we experience as Exquisite.

I was nervous (always am when putting my thoughts and feelings out to others publicly) but was touched and humbled to be approached afterward by one man who told me it really touch him because he'd just lost his dad, a holocaust survivor whom he'd never really been able to be close to. Another shared that he was dealing with issues around death with his 12 year old daughter and said he was grateful to hear my talk.

Here's a transcript:

I’m afraid of death. And if you’re like most people, you might be too. It may not be as real or as raw for you as it is for my 6-year old daughter; if she’s afraid she’s likely to yell-cry “I’m going to DIE!!!!” You might be more like her dad, who practices calorie restriction for his personal longevity and who spends his days working to improve gene-sequencing technology in order to end disease and aging. A noble endeavor to be sure!

Recently though I’ve been reminded that much of what is exquisite about life – and by exquisite, tonight I’m thinking of the definition that references synonyms like “flawless”, “beautiful”, “intense”, “keen” -- much of what makes life something we want to prolong, we can learn about by facing, accepting --even embracing, death.

Take my friend Loni for example. Loni has been fighting small cell lung cancer since December. A few days after her diagnosis she wrote to friends and family about feeling hopeful, optimistic and beyond grateful for the outpouring of love, light and support she had been receiving from friends and her communities. But I don’t think she was referring simply to the hope of getting better, about beating the cancer (although that’s a hope I’m sure she holds, along with so many of us who know her). Rather, I think she was referring to a larger hope and optimism of living an exquisite life with whatever hand was dealt to her. In that same message she wrote, "…Never at any point in your life ignore the possibility of something extraordinary coming along." Flawless, intense, beautiful!

A few months later she wrote about the gift it was to her that people were sharing with her ways they generally don’t. She wrote that there’s something about a cancer diagnosis that allows others to open up and share their lives and their thoughts and themselves in ways that doesn’t happen every day.

But I don’t believe it was the cancer diagnosis as much as Loni’s open-hearted attitude towards her diagnosis and her battle; her willingness to honestly share the journey, which made it possible for people around her to connect with her, to join her in her journey and in doing so, to take a quick glimpse at their own mortality. I said that Loni has been fighting cancer but I think it’s really more accurate to say that she has been accepting cancer in a beautiful way, and in doing so, accepting and celebrating life.

A few weeks ago, the World oldest man, Walter Breuning died at the age of 114. Among the advice he left for living a long life – like “embrace change, work as long as you can, and help others” – was this: “Accept Death”. He said, “Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die.”
Therein lies the irony: to live an exquisite life we must accept death…

Then there is Jen. We are distant relatives and for the past years we were in touch occasionally and talked about meeting and introducing our families. In January Jen sent me an email but I hesitated in my response frankly because I was uncertain about how to be and how to meet her given her late stage gastric cancer. When I finally got the gumption and the courage to get back in touch earlier this month, I learned that she had passed away a few weeks after her last email to me. So I spent a long time reading her Caring Bridge pages and crying and feeling inspired and alive and sad…and in awe of her life and her death.

You see, on Feb 6th she hosted a party she’d spent the weeks before organizing. It was an early birthday party for her son. Early because she wanted the whole family to be together to celebrate Life, Love and her son’s 7th birthday. She invited all of her friends and family to the event, which was held at her house and people flew in from various parts of North America to celebrate and to connect with Jen. At one point that afternoon she went outside to enjoy the sunshine –if you remember the early months of the year were gorgeous and sunny here in California-- and to see the kids playing on the trampoline. She had written a moving speech thanking everyone for their support and her cousin read it to the guests. After the party her husband tucked the kids (who are 7 and 9) into bed and explained to them that their mom would not be around much longer. He said they seemed to understand because Jen had been preparing them for it. A few hours later Jen died. Living and sharing her life to the fullest right up until the final hours.

Most of the time it’s easy to get caught up in the small details of life but I hope that when I come close to death, either my own or that of someone I love, that I’ll be able to be present to it with the courage I’ve seen in Loni and Jen. And I hope that I’ll be willing to share it with those I love and help them come to terms with it, too so we can, at some point say farewell to the life we shared, in appreciation of it.

And in the meantime, if I can find moments of living exquisitely, intensely, flawlessly…if I can find ways to feel the realness of life, in all it’s colors, even in the small moments and
quiet days…If we all can be willing to share a smile, a kind act, a beautiful film, a difficult moment, an impassioned poem, a painful truth and be willing to give to those we love and be given to as well, in life and in death then to some extent we have Jen and Loni and Walter to thank for it.

To the exquisite delicacy and beauty of Life!

My Popular Chicken Soup recipe

2010-07-23T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'm always amazed by how often I get asked for this recipe because it's so incredibly simple.

I usually buy the organic chickens at Trader Joe's or Costcos. There are two variations to this recipe and I'm not sure which one I like better. The first option is to use a whole
uncooked chicken. Put it in a very large pot filled with water and low boil it for about an
hour and 15 minutes. The second way is to take the same chicken and roast it in the oven. I use the Thomas Keller's fast roast method and eat it as normal. Then take the carcass and put it in a large pot with lots of water and again boil on a low boil for between an hour and an hour and half.

In either case remove the chicken or the chicken carcass from the pot and strain out all the yucky parts.

Then add all of the vegetables; I like to use:
4 or 5 stalks of celery
4 or 5 carrots
1 large onion
2 sweet potatoes
5 potatoes
1 bunch of kale.

The sweet potatoes and kale are the more unusual parts of the recipe and I suspect that they are very important for getting the right flavor. All of the veggies should be cut reasonably uniformly in size except for the kale which I chop very finely (great way to get dark leafy greens into the kids).

Also add the spices now. I use quite a few shakes of garlic powder but only a little salt because I preferred that the diner salt to taste. I also use miscellaneous herbs, or dried spices; Mediterranean style spices work well or add a mix like Trader Joe's 21 spice mix. They used to have a great mix called Pasta Seasoning mix but they seem to have discontinued it. Usually I add a little cumin as well.

While it's cooking, and once the chicken is cool, remove whatever meat is left on the bone and chop it into small pieces in order to add it right near the end of the cooking time.

I usually cook the veggies for about 45 minutes.

I think that's about it. It really is incredibly easy. My kids will eat it three times a day until it's gone. One of my friends in Toronto calls it "Kai soup" in his honor.

Denver: An Easy and Inexpensive Summer Trip

2010-07-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Every year we attend a family retreat in Colorado Springs and most years we have flown to Denver and then made our way to the Springs, from there. One year we drove but K made me swear we’d never do it again. This year we took the Amtrak California Zephyr. If you have any need to go to Denver and have a few extra days on either side of your plans, I highly recommend the Zephyr for an inexpensive, fun and easy trip between the bay area and Denver. If you live on the other side of the country, the Zephyr runs both ways between Chicago, IL and Emeryville, CA.

We arrived at Emeryville Station, where it’s possible to park for free in a secure parking lot right beside the train station. The conductor provides a ticket for the dashboard with return date on it, and you’re good to go.

The Train tickets for two adults and two kids were $605 after a AAA discount and half-price for the kids. This could change; ticket prices on Amtrak are not set. The seats were comfortable, with both leg and foot rests and a great recline. Sure it’s not a bed, but for one night on board in each direction, we were ok. (The train departs Emeryville at 9:15am and arrives in Denver the next day at 7:25pm.)

It was great to be able to plop our stuff from the car straight onto the train with no security or other airport hassles! Then we settled in and explored the train.

The viewing car (aka “the lounge” or “the skyliner”) was a great place to chat with other passengers, who by the way were a truly mixed bunch. We came across Amish families, dread-locked 30-somethings, European travelers and Train Enthusiasts traveling for the train-ride itself.

The food in the dining car, which offers three meals a day, is reasonably good, all things considered. Since lunch was half the price of dinner we had our one restaurant meal per day then and purchased food from the snack bar --or ate snacks we brought with us-- the rest of the time.

Arrival in Denver was simple. Union Station is gorgeous; a real old-style train station!

We easily and enjoyably spent the two days reading, napping, playing cards and our recent discovery, banagrams, chatting, watching the great paper-folding documentary, Between the Folds, drawing, looking out the window, dining, etc. We have been holding on to the video, which was a gift from our friend Jacquie, for months and the train ride finally gave us the time we needed to watch. Some fellow travels looking over our shoulders were so intrigued that I lent it to them once we were done. Incidentally, my favorite person featured in the documentary was Erik Demaine, who was homeschooled and is also a fellow Canadian.

Before the trip I ordered Zephyr: Tracking a Dream Across America by Henry Kisor and enjoyed the simultaneous reading of the book, whilst traveling on the train.

During my pre-trip prep, I researched computer A/C power access and read many reviews describing the complex machinations required for charging technology. It turned out that the Zephyr (at least the one we were one) was a new enough train and offered a two-plug power station at each seat. Now if only they could provide WiFi…

On both ends of the Colorado Springs portion of our trip, we stayed in Denver for one night and we all emphatically agreed that Denver is a wonderful city. That conclusion was reached very quickly on this trip, largely by virtue of having arrived at Union Station right in the heart of Downtown Denver, which is radically different from arriving at DIA! That said, even the kids commented on how helpful and friendly everyone in Denver was to us.

My Priceline bid of $80 yielded great 3.5 star hotels on both sides of Denver stay. When we got off the train we walked to our hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown. It was a fifteen-minute walk, but if you do it, and you’ve read this blogpost, then you’ll know that there is a free shuttle, which runs along the central mile of the 16^th Street Mall starting at Union Station.

There is also the option to pay for horse and buggy or pedicabs but we took the free shuttle most of the time. If every person in our party was more than 4.5 feet tall we would have used the fabulous looking bike-sharing program, Denver B Cycle (think Zipcar for bikes), which allows you to take a bike and return to one of over 40 stations. This is a super cool idea and very affordable, too. Too bad the bay area is so hilly!

On our return trip we stayed at The Curtis, which bills itself as a “Uniquely Fun Boutique Hotel”. The kids only regret was that we weren’t on the Simpsons themed floor 9, but instead were put on the “Dance” floor ie. Floor 12. They did like the fact that we could borrow Yahtzee and other games, however.

If only we’d had more time we would have returned to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science which is free for us with our local science center membership by reciprocal agreement through the ASTC Passport Program. The DMVS is currently hosting Body Worlds & The Story of the Heart through August 15, 2010, which, if you haven’t seen it, is a thought-provoking, inspiring, controversial, educational and beautiful exhibit.

I think we’ll definitely take the Zephyr again next year.

Suggested Guidelines for Organizing Classes and Programs

2009-12-25T04:09:00.000-08:00

Creating Community Education Classes and Events

Even though many of us homeschool as an alternative to the more common Authority-From-Above educational experience endemic to our culture, it can still be a challenge to break old habits when it comes to classes and other education-based programs.

As a co-founder and moderator of Bay Area Gifted Homeschoolers, we are not responsible for providing activities for the group, though we do our share of organizing. It’s our intention to uphold a unifying vision; we do not determine the rules of conduct or behavior for individually sponsored programs or events. We hope that our members will regard BAGHS as a point of contact, which allows families, groups and individuals free to connect and create programs and events, which meet their own needs and, while doing so, contribute to the greater good of other families in the group.

In the hopes of providing members (and other homeschoolers) with the means to create programs and classes, I’ve come up with the following suggestions and guidelines.

GENERAL GUIDELINES:

Any group member or family may offer a program or event to the rest of the group. It is the prerogative of the family or individual organizer to define the set of rules and behavior and/or ability guidelines for that specific event. This allows for flexibility and a wide variety of activities from which everyone may choose. Some more active members may be perceived as leaders, especially by newcomers, but everyone is equally welcome and encouraged to make an offering.

SPECIFIC LOGISTICAL “HOW-TO”s:

CREATING THE EVENT

A. Define the type of Event

a. Classes

i. Private classes are by invitation. The organizer of a private class gathers together a group of students based on shared interests or learning needs.

ii. Public classes are advertised to the group. The organizer should set clear standards on level, ability, age, performance and behavior expectations and open it to the group.

b. Field Trips. Field trip options are wide-open. You might choose from field trips, which are already offered through museums, government offices, schools or other institutions. Or perhaps you know someone who runs an interesting lab or business and can arrange for a private field trip.

c. Gatherings. Generally gatherings are social in nature, although there can be a purpose (as is the case with the Presentation Day Gathering). It’s nice to have occasional opportunities for the whole group to gather but you are also welcome to organize gatherings for a particular subset of the group.

B. Find a Teacher or Facilitator

The organizer might plan to teach the class him/herself or may deem it more appropriate to find another parent or a paid teacher or mentor to do.

C. Create Enrollment Guidelines

Decide for whom the class is intended and outline the ways in which you plan to identify appropriate participants. This is especially important for public classes. Possibilities include:

a. Academic level or ability-based requirements

b. Age Range. This can be problematic as organizers are likely to be asked to make exceptions. Be willing to consider the possibility but also be prepared to draw some lines in the sand if needed. There is no easy or straightforward answer. When in doubt, exercise kindness and diplomacy.

c. Membership requirements. Decide if it will be a members-only, open to specific enrollees, or open to anyone who is interested. It’s up to you but potential participants will appreciate knowing for whom the class is intended and with whom they might expect to be learning.

d. Other things you may need to consider are sibling attendance, carpooling info, and parent-participation or attendance.

D. Find an appropriate location

Possibilities include: your own home; a library room, which can often be booked for free (assuming the class is free); a park or other outdoor location; or a rented space in another business.

TRACKING INFORMATION

A. Sign-ups may be done by email in which case I usually request a clear subject title such as “January French Class”. You can also use Google Documents, which allows for forms, if you wish. If you are allowing for input from participants on time frame you may want to use a web application like WhenIsGood or Doodle.

B. Payment (if applicable). You might want to consider using Paypal although I personally prefer to ask for checks and then keep all information pertaining to a given class in an old-fashioned file folder. That way I can cash all of the checks at one time which makes financial tracking easier for me. Other organizers prefer to have registered students pay the instructor directly so as to reduce their administrative work load.

C. Email communication. I don’t yet have a good system for this. Does anyone else? I usually just keep a spreadsheet with all of the pertinent info for enrollees and then can cut and paste the email column in order to update participants. You may want to email participants:

i. Code of Conduct expectations. I’ve posted a sample of Code of Conduct, which you can use or edit to meet your needs.

ii. Reminders or changes as needed

DAY OF EVENT

a) Supervision. Depending upon the age of the students, you may want to request that parents participate in helping to supervise even if they are not needed as teachers.

b) Reminders re: Code of Behavior. I usually post something on the front door stating my needs from attendees and parents and I find that doing so works very well.

c) Be sure to request or assign jobs at the end of the event so that you are not stuck do all of the clean-up. It’s also a great service to our kids to be asked and expected to participate in some aspect of their education and helping to maintain or wrap up the space is highly appropriate.

Finally, remember that in spite of your hard work, there will always be somebody who feels that it should be more [fill in the blank] or less [fill in the blank] (eg. challenging, accessible, un/structured, younger/older, smaller/larger etc). Stay true to your own vision!

And if you’re on the other side of the equation and you don’t like a given aspects of any given activity please consider it as inspiration to offer an alternative.

Hoping this helps encourage other homeschoolers to organize and offer classes and events. In my world homeschooling is a misnomer as what I really prefer is the A La Carte design ability which individualized education makes possible.

Sample Code of Conduct for use by Organizers of Classes

2009-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

CODE OF CONDUCT: *

Our goal is to create an enjoyable and safe atmosphere, and to ensure positive behavior among the children. For this reason, please recognize that this group includes a variety of ages, parenting philosophies, religions, cultures, races, and more.

Please help us ensure that the following guidelines for participation are respected, so that everyone can have a dynamic experience.

Ideally, student participants take responsibility for their own adherence to the Code of Conduct; if this is not possible due to age, maturity or special circumstance, parents should help to ensure that the following guidelines are met.

Basics

1. Please be on time.

2. To avoid the spread of illness, avoid attending if you are contagious.

Inclusivity

Non-judgment and mutual respect provide the foundation for learning together.

We believe in making every student welcome and encourage you to practice sensitivity to others at all times. Try to see things through the eyes of others and make everyone feel welcome and important.

No profanity, including insulting or derisive language.

Conflict Resolution

When learning in groups, it is common for differences in opinion to arise, and occasionally conflict occurs. We recognize this as a natural part of the learning cycle and an opportunity for a group to grow stronger.

Here are some guidelines for resolving conflict:

1) Resolve conflict only when participants are no longer angry

2) Participants are encouraged to let a facilitator know if they need some "cool down" time

3) When communicating about a conflict, we encourage participants to focus on how they felt and what they need in the situation

4) We will help participants work toward a win-win solution where everyone feels good about the methods chosen to resolve conflict

Respect for location and materials

Our motto, “Leave this place better than you found it,” refers both to the effect the program has on each student and the effect each student has on the program. Before leaving the location, please do one task to help put the space back in order.

Safety

If inappropriate or dangerous behavior is observed, parents of the children involved will be informed. If the parents are unavailable or if the behavior is immediately dangerous, inappropriate behaviors will be corrected and redirected. If the child is disruptive to the group, s/he should be quietly and gently removed from the group, and allowed to try again at another time.

Some families have special diets, or food allergies. Please check parents before offering food to a child.

* This is an example; please edit to meet the needs of your classes.

Open Brainstorming Session on "What Lisa might do next"

2009-10-23T11:26:00.001-07:00

Please pretend that you're a friend or someone who might otherwise be willing to take five or ten minutes to help me think about future possibilities.

If I were to tell you the following about my Values, Skills, Interests and Personality, what future possibilities come to mind? Please consider the time frame to be anytime starting from tomorrow going through to the next ten years. :)

This is a brainstorm so, any and all ideas and contributions are greatly appreciated!!

Values: Connection, Community, Acknowledgment, Leadership, Learning

Skills: leading, creating, exploring, initiating, research, speaking, writing

Interests: growth/change, ideas, writing, people, EQ, interpersonal communication, progressive education

From the person who created a surveymonkey survey to help name her second child. :)

Giftedness Misunderstood (yet again)

2009-10-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

Yet again, ignorance about the experience we call "giftedness" (for lack of a better and more all-encompassing word) is being propagated on a learning-oriented blog. It's always particularly sad for me when that sentiment comes from a teacher! The gist of the particular post in question is not new; essentially it goes like this: because "giftedness" is not a perfect word, giftedness as an experience must not exist and therefore kids we call "gifted" should not receive any special services or attention.

This writer's post, and others like it, contribute to the many misunderstandings about the population we describe with that flawed word. As Suki Wessling points out in her articulate response to the article, "a better term for the kids we're referring to is “neuro-nontypical.” As has been pointed out so many times before, kids who are wired differently and in some cases, operating as many standard deviations away from the norm as a developmentally challenged child, are not served by such misinformed attitudes and beliefs.

Thankfully there are growing numbers of parents, educators and other professionals who are committed to serving the unique needs and challenges faced by gifted kids and their families. Most of us in this position understand that, while the label is problematic for a variety of reasons, the needs and differences are very real.

Most of the parents of the gifted kids I know are working overtime to raise happy, self-confident children who are able to use their gifts, thrive and grow into contributing adults. Achieving this task is a compelling, and sometimes challenging task, and misconceptions about giftedness do not serve us, our kids, or the population at large.

The author uses terms like "exceptional musician, a brilliant mathematician, [and] an outstanding basketball player" without pause but takes issue with the use of the term "giftedness" and wonders what the cutoff might be for the usage of that term. While giftedness does have (albeit, socially constructed categorizations) I can't help but point out the irony of her comfort with those other terms even as she's dismissing advanced intellectual ability.

It's true the "intellectual" is often dropped because we live in anti-intellectual society; sadly children who are different in this regard are expected to hide it because it might make someone else feel that their own special gifts are less-than.

To the author's point about advocating for every child, who could ever disagree with that? Of course, every child deserves to have his needs and abilities addresses and supported. The reason so many of us feel the need to advocate for the "intellectually gifted child", the "quick learner", the "asyncronistic child whose learning range spans 6, 8 or 10 years", the "kid who is intellectually 3 standard deviations away from the norm", the "child whose is emotionally like his peers but has a vocabulary and humor they don't understand and so is ostracized by them", the "child who intimates his teacher" etc etc is because these are, contrary to popular opinion, the kids we are leaving behind. Our culture already teaches to the mid-range (granted I'd argue, as she seems to be, that we are not doing even that very well) and we have no problems talking about and funding kids with learning and physical disabilities. It seems to many of the parents I know, that it's the kids on the intellectually high side of the variation that are ignored and expected to be fine with inadequate and inappropriate support for their gifts.

I will argue passionately that it is not the field of study of giftedness or the people who are up-close-and-personal with our kids that are at fault. On the contrary, there is a vast network of intelligent and committed parents, educators and specialists who understand the complexity and beauty of this particular grouping of learners. Sadly it is misunderstandings about gifted learners as illustrated by this and other posts, which undermine the possibility of meeting every child's need.

==

ps. To the writer's credit, after receiving close to 20 passionate, informed and intelligent responses to her original post in less than 19 hours, she acknowledged the fact that her original posting was not an accurate reflection of giftedness, that parents of gifted kids are not necessarily pushy, that kids who are advanced should be encouraged and that ALL kids including well-advanced kids should be given what they need. Kudos to those willing to speak up on behalf of gifted kids!!

pps. Further credit: Here is the follow-on conversation between Tracy Steven's and Suki Wessling. More kudos to Tracy Steven's for taking the criticism as an opportunity to dialogue learn and grow!

King Tut at the De Young

2009-07-01T08:29:00.001-07:00

Visited the King Tut Museum at the De Young today, thanks to the generosity of my friend Jennifer. What did I think?

Firstly, appropriate caveats: I’m not much of a museum person and I had sleeping Soleil on my shoulder the whole time we were there…

I saw King Tut in the 1970’s in Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum and at that time it included the iconic Death mask and the mummified corpse and sarcophagus. Apparently those items are no longer allowed to leave Egypt so the current exhibit features a photograph of it. For that reason, combined with the fact that there are many items relating to Tut’s family, including family lineage posters in at least two places, overall I left with more of a sense of Tut’s family, including the controversial topic of his parentage, than of Tutankhamen, the person/Boy King.

I did learn many things I didn’t previously know about Akhenaten, Kiya, Nefertiti and Anknesenpaaten (possibly Tut’s half-sister) and the family history, including details about the name and religious changes, which took place during three generations.

I also left with unanswered questions and curiosity --which must be one of the marks of a good exhibit-- but being one for introspection, I would have appreciated at least of hint of the irony related to variations on grave-robbing, though I don’t suppose most museums would ever go there…

Modern technology added interesting new information including that provided by CT scanners (illuminating elements leading to his death), digitalized photos and a dramatic film introduction that some may find a bit Disneyland, though personally I liked the drama it created.

All caveats aside, it’s pretty cool to see such ancient and dramatic items preserved so perfectly!

To Learn or Not to Learn (a Second Language)

2008-12-30T10:12:00.000-08:00

Recently when I announced my intent to have my kids learn a second language (French, since it’s the only language I know myself, beside American Sign Language), Joe expressed 1) concern about it conflicting with Kaizen’s recent study of Latin and 2) the usefulness of language learning compared with all of the other ways our kids might spend their time. He referred to some research, which supports the theory that there is no marked benefit to learning language as a child. My first reaction was complete disbelief and denial. So I figured I’d better look into it more deeply.

So, as far I can grok it, the seeming “opposing” theory goes something like this: Whatever benefit a young child receives from early language acquisition is at least, if not more than, made up for by an older persons more mature learning strategies and other skills.

Here are some nuggets from my preliminary research, exploring the current thinking on SLA (Second Language Acquisition). It is far from conclusive and not specifically organized, but in my opinion cursory exploration suggests to me that, while there are certainly contradictory opinions, there is good reason to utilize Pascal’s wager and bet that we have little to lose by embarking on French and potentially lots to gain. In the case, of Soleil I would extend that to say that we have 4-6 years of prime language learning to lose.

As far as I can tell, based on my looking for support for deciding not to teach a second language, here’s the closest point I could find:

University of Maryland, College Park instructor Robert DeKeyser (mentioned above) does in fact note that adults learn language differently from the way children do, and states that they are capable of learning it fluently. His primary point seems to be that for a person to learn a second language after the “critical period” s/he will have to employ different strategies.

However, nowhere could I find any research denying the fact that that there is period after which learning a second language is more difficult.

“Robert DeKeyser works with critical period theory to understand how cognitive development affects SLA. While people often assume that there is a “tipping point” in early childhood after which learning a second language is a real struggle, language-learning cognition is more complicated. After a “critical period,” typically near adolescence, the brain functions differently while acquiring a new language. Before this critical period, the brain learns a second language much like it learns the first language; after this critical period, the brain works differently. […] DeKeyser’s work considers learner aptitude in adult language learners. He has shown that, contrary to popular and some scholarly opinions, adults can obtain syntactic fluency in a second language. The process is just different from natural language acquisition, so instruction should be different too."

---

Linguist Eric Lennegerg’s 1964 theory of Critical Period Hypothesis, which believes that a critical period of language acquisition ends around the age of 12, has been called into question. Lennegerg and Chomsky are proponents of the Nativist Theory of Language development, which supports the idea that children have a hard-wired “Language Acquisition Device”. Robert DeKeyser, and others, have tried to update the hypothesis by arguing that due to the role of language aptitude, adults can learn a second language perfectly at least syntactically, despite this critical period (see below).

“A more up-to-date view of the Critical Period Hypothesis is represented by the University of Maryland, College Park instructor Robert DeKeyser. DeKeyser argues that although it is true that there is a critical period, this does not mean that adults cannot learn a second language perfectly, at least on the syntactic level. DeKeyser talks about the role of language aptitude as opposed to the critical period.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_acquisition#Critical_period_hypothesis\

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Here is an url to an interview with Professor Laura-Ann Petitto, a cognitive neuroscientist teaching at Dartmouth College, where she also serves as Director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory for Language & Child Development in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, and as a Professor in the Department of Education:

http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/oela/summit/Petitto.htm

My primary take-aways are:

1) Exposure to multiple languages (at least in very young children) does NOT result in language acquisition delays or confusion.

"Through a series of studies over a period of ten years, we mapped out the milestones for young children acquiring two languages -- and were quite surprised to find that they are not delayed at all. In fact, a child who's exposed early in life to two languages achieves each and every milestone on the same timetable as the other language -- and also on the same overall timetable as a monolingual child."

2) Early language exposure (as late as aged nine, at least has a positive impact on multi-language mastery.

“In accordance with brain development and neuroplasticity, children who were exposed to two languages early in life do extremely well in reaching full language mastery in two languages. […] Even when children were relatively late exposed to the second language, [as late as nine years old] they were highly likely to become fully bilingual - whether it was home or community exposure.”

Note: One caveat on the above seems to be that the exposure must be systematic and very rich.

3) There are benefits to early dual language learning, including cognitive advancement.

"[There is value in…] dual language exposure. We're finding that young children who have rich and early exposure to two languages are remarkably -- and this is quite an exciting finding - cognitively more advanced than their monolingual peers on certain highly sophisticated cognitive tasks to do with attention and abstract reasoning. And we think it's because they are switching languages and have access to multiple meanings, have part of their brain massaged like a muscle. Then there's the spillover of that amazing honing of their linguistic abilities, making them more cognitively advanced. […] So we're finding even how the brain neurally organizes the brain for language is impacted based on the age the child is exposed, and earlier is better. When I speak today, I wonder how many people in the room were exposed to another language in high school, and what percentage of them can raise their hands and tell me that they're totally fluent in that language? The reason we're not going to have a lot of people raise their hand is because their brain reached certain periods of maturational development after which they were not going to learn it with the agility and openness that they would have as a child. It's not just a social/attitudinal thing. It's really how the brain's wired. When you learn languages later, after these distinct periods of brain growth, then you're learning it in a different way."

--

Below are some quotes taken from a paper exploring the Optimal Starting Age for a Second Language (in this case, ESL taught to Hong Kong school children).

http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:nIMPz7xEk2QJ:sunzi1.lib.hku.hk/hkjo/view/48/4800014.pdf+optimal+age+for+language+acquisition&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a

I consider this paper to be reasonably unbiased and note that it presents the complexity of current viewpoints. One can probably find some support for the viewpoint that language acquisition is not markedly hindered by age, in this article, but here are the points of interest and note, for me:

1) There are certainly many researchers who believe language acquisition facility declines with age.

“It is popular belief that young children have a special aptitude for learning foreign languages and that this aptitude declines with age. Chomsky (1959, dp. 49) spoke of the gift of the young learner: " It is a common observation that a young child of immigrant parents may learn a second language in the streets, from other children, with amazing rapidity . . . while the subtleties that become second nature to the child may elude his parents despite high motivation and continued practice."

2) L2 language learning does not hinder L1 language learning (academic orientation); In fact, language learning in one language actually benefits both languages and in particular, language acquisition skills.

"[…Spending time learning in one language does not slow down the development of language proficiency in another language, at least not that aspect of proficiency which is related to success in school . Or to put it another way, spending time learning in one language benefits both languages equally with respect to developing those language related skills essential to academic success. Furthermore, some writers have noted the positive role that LI experience plays in L2 learning, particularly in relation to the learner's overall ability to approach language learning. As Singleton puts it, "the beginning second language learner is more mature than the beginning first language learner not only physically, mentally and emotionally, but also linguistically.”

3) There are some (unspecified, here) advantages to learning a second language early (according to this article “early” is before age 9).

“Having extensively reviewed the studies concerned with age-related differences in second language acquisition, Singleton concludes that "the best one can say on this score is that, given the right learning conditions, learners exposed to early second language instruction probably have some advantage in the very long run over those whose exposure begins later" (Singleton 1989, p. 267)

4) There is no proven advantage to learning later than age nine, nor are there proven disadvantages to learning early.

"Research in SLA has not confirmed a phenomenal advantage for the older learner. Studies on early bilingualism and early immersion have not shown any negative effects (e.g . on Ll development) either."

Key Sources:

Chomsky, N . (1959). Review of B.F. Skinner's Verbal Behaviour.
Language, 35, 26-58.

Singleton, D. (1989). Language acquisition: The age factor.
Clevedon, Avon: Multilingual Matters.

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Here is the link to a summary of the book, An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research (1991), the intent of which is to introduce readers to second language acquisition (SLA) research.

http://tesl-ej.org/ej03/r18.html

Of note:

"Chapter 6 addresses individual learner variables and differential L2 achievement. The issue of age and SLA is extensively treated, and the conclusions uphold the sensitive age hypothesis, supporting the idea that "younger is better" for optimal L2 study and acquisition."

Couric interviews Palin

2008-09-27T07:55:00.001-07:00

Before the interview, here's what Jon Friedman of Marketwatch said about the potential:

"With no disrespect to any of the other television networks or anchors, I can't wait to see Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin. It will feature two accomplished women talking to each other on national television.

If Couric could get Palin to offer thought-provoking answers to her questions, she'd go a long way toward finally erasing the media's ever-present "perky" characterization of her. The quality of her work should speak for itself.

Palin […] will have an agenda, too. Palin will hope to show viewers that she has the gravitas to run the country someday."

With no personal commentary, here's part of the result. Please judge for yourself; Is this the person you want as the potential next president of the US? (Do watch to the end, though, at which point Palin says "I'll try to find some [examples of John McCain pushing for more regulation] and I'll bring 'em to ya".)

The 5:35 minute You Tube clip

Getting a Canadian Passport for your US-Born Cannuck

2008-07-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

Obtaining proof of Canadian citizenship for US born child

Everyone once in a while one of my friends mentions the need or desire to get a Canadian passport for their child especially given that our kids are mostly approaching less than a decade from draft age. Note this option is only available to your kids if you are Canadian (sorry). I found the process paperwork-unwieldy so am posting this for friends to try and save them some time.

Note: This is what you have to do based on my experience. Hopefully I don't need a liability disclaimer here. Forms may have changed so your experience may be different but hopefully this will be helpful to you.

Your child is Canadian if they were born after 1977 to a parent who was a Canadian citizen at the time even if the birth took place outside of Canada:

In order to prove your child’s citizenship you must get a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship which takes at least 10 months once you’ve gone through the unwieldy paperwork process. You will need to put together the following items:

1) Completed Application for a Citizenship Certificate from Outside Canada for child: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/citizen/CIT0006E.pdf

2) Photos of child to specification
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/citizen/CIT0021E.pdf

3) Canadian parent’s immigration doc (This is your green card.)

4) Canadian parent’s birth certificate

5) Money order for $65 (check that this is current)

6) Parents’ marriage certificate

7) Child’s certificate of live birth

PDF version of Application for Citizenship Certificate forms and more information on applying for Canadian citizenship from outside of Canada can be found at:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/proof-how.asp

Obtaining a Canadian Passport

Once you have the Certificate of Canadian Citizenship you can then apply for a passport. General information on the process is here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/form/index.aspx

Here is a link to the Passport Application fro Children under 16 living abroad: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/form/pdfs/pptc042.pdf

Canadian Passport Application requirements checklist

To ensure timely processing of your application, please be sure to submit all the necessary documents with your application. To obtain a passport, you must:

1. Complete and sign all pages of the application form.

2. Provide two identical passport photos taken within the last 12 months. Specs here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/photos.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

3. Have the application form and one photo signed by an eligible guarantor. Info on guarantors here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/section2.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

4. Provide original proof of Canadian citizenship (the one that just took ten months to arrive ;)

5. Provide any previous Canadian travel document issued to you within the last five years such as a passport, a certificate of identity or a travel document. (probably none)

6. **Provide at least one document to support your identity with your current name and signature, such as a driver's licence, a provincial health care card, an old age security card, etc. (for a child only the Proof of Canadian citizenship is required)**

If you submit original supporting documents, they will be returned to you. If you are submitting photocopies, your guarantor must sign and date the photocopies to indicate that the originals have been seen.

7. Place of birth: Your place of birth must be provided on the application form. If you do not wish the place of birth to appear in the passport, submit a written request. Be sure to contact the consulate or embassy of every country you plan to visit to ensure that you will be admitted if the passport does not include your place of birth.

8. For United States residents: If you were accepted into the United States as a permanent resident before February 15, 1977, you must indicate on your application form the number and date of issue of your Alien Registration Card (green or pink card). Include a copy of this card with your application form.

9. Pay the appropriate passport fee: Check here: http://www.ppt.gc.ca/cdn/section6.aspx?lang=eng&region=USA

Other Information

For information about the status of your application, to find out how long it takes to process your application for a citizenship certificate, or to get information on other citizenship issues, please contact:

Website
The CIC website at www.cic.gc.ca contains information on CIC’s programs and services.

CIC Call Centre
The CIC Call Centre has an automated voice response system that can provide answers to general citizenship questions 24 hours a day. By using a touch-tone telephone, you can order an application kit and check the status of your application.

If you want to speak to an agent, contact the CIC Call Centre during normal business hours across Canada (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time) and press “0”.

For all areas in Canada: 1-888-242-2100 (toll-free).

If you are hearing impaired and you use a text telephone, you can access the TTY service at 1-888-576-8502 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. your local time.

If you are outside Canada, contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate responsible for the region in which you live.

Record-Keeping Options for Homeschoolers

2008-04-20T08:34:00.001-07:00

I've been reviewing a few options for tracking information for our learning systems. Mostly I want something I can use to add after-the-fact classes though I'd also like the option to track the odd assignment or upcoming field trip etc. I want something I can customize but I also need the system to be reasonably user-friendly (are they mutually exclusive?) So far, I've looked at five options and as a context for my comments: I'm far from a power user but I'm reasonably computer-savvy for a layperson.

[Update: I've been meaning to do a rev on this post for a while, but so much more important and useful is this recursive bit (hee, hee: here's where I link from my blogpost on blogging, to another blog on blogging):

BLOGS

I'm not going to try and recreate the wheel; Just read this post, Organizing Assignments with a Blog on Suji's Fun-Schooling Blog]

http://www.funschooling.net/2011/06/organizing-assignments-with-blog.html

Homeschool Easy Records (Software Program)

Benefits: Free 30-day trial (with some limits on functionality), very comprehensive hs'ing specific program; separate sections for Record-keeping and Lesson-planning, can track unit-study, related community for sharing developed lesson plans,

Downsides: More complicated than I could figure out in a couple of hours without help,

Conclusion: For $39.95 I may buy it to further explore the full functionality; complicated; if you're interested in grading and reports and stuff like that, this could be a good choice but I suspect this one is way more "school-y" than most of us would want or need, though that said, it could be a good way of tracking external classes and their related grades all in one place (for high school / college applicants).

Home School Incorporated (Web-based Program)

Benefits: Fairly easy to use, simple online sign-up, responsive customer service, free Homeschool Planner (PER)

Downsides: Program is weak and not very flexible. I couldn't log "read plot summary" for a field trip in advance of the field trip (could only put it in the notes for the trip on the day of which would require me to remember to say "read the plot summary"), despite quick response from customer service, the fix she suggested didn't work for me, so while they only charge for the support ($50 annually) and the program itself is free, I'd definitely say you will need the help as the program is not very smooth in spite of its simplicity

Conclusion: Definitely won't work for me. Might be ok for someone who wants the benefits that Basecamp (below) offers but wants a free program that provides sharing. Better be patient, too as this one is clunky!

Homeschool Tracker (Software Program)

Benefit: I have no idea but some people apparently like it: http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews/curriculum/reviews.aspx?id=283

Downsides: Tried to download trial three times with no luck

37signals Basecamp (Web-based Program)

Notes: Free level only allows for one project so if that project were "Homeschooling Journal" or records you could use the Messages section to communicate to your other users (kids), the Milestones section toblog assignments, events, field trips and classes and the To-Do section to outline specifics which relate to specific Milestones. There is also a Whiteboard feature which would be most useful to me as a logbook.

Benefits: Good for integrating calendar, to-do and associating To Do's with projects; free at the one project level; sharable (for $12/month)

Downsides: Very limited: only has 3-4 types of interfaces and is not very customizable; no ability to create reports

Conclusion: This could work well for someone who wanted a power-To-Do list and might be good for someone who just wants to improve tracking but doesn't crave perfection or homeschool specificity. Probably not right for me. Given the lack of customization, I'd rather keep using my jotspot which is more customizable.

Jotspot (and other Wikis)

Benefits: very flexible, free

Downsides: require an organized brain to figure out how you want to structure things. You have to design the relationship between things so this is not the best option for anyone who just wants plug and play unless you just want to use it for a collaborative journal (which is our primary usage)

Conclusion: Given that I like Jotspot, I think for anyone who is inclined to set up their own system Wikis are great; I also like PBWiki. (but again, be prepared to read a White Paper to find out how to do certain things). http://pbwiki.com/ The truly great one appears to be Google Sites (previously mentioned by Jennifer) which is Jotspot on Google steroids.

Google Sites

Benefits: highly customizable, Available templates make it much more plug-and-pay than Jotspot and PBWiki (for example, there is a "classroom template" and a "student club" template which could be an easy beginning point for some), integrates with other google apps,

Downsides: still not as simple as some of the software programs and making it highly homeschool specfic or personal will still require a bit of savvy set up; you need to have your own domain to use it (as opposed to gmail, yahoo, or hotmail etc)

Conclusion: GS looks great based on my initial tour! I haven't been able to try customizing it yet though because all of my domain name address are currently broken. They will be allowing for Jotspot users to migrate to GS but that isn't available yet. That's looking like my best bet for retaining my previous work and customization in Jotspot while also being able to access the integration with Google features like calendar, which I currently cannot do on Jotspot.

[Update: I successfully and happily used Google Sites for a few years and then suddenly, somehow lost all the information on one of the sites. Big downside!]

I just wish that some of the above had database features included. Then again, J is constantly telling me that I mess myself up by trying to create overly complex systems which I then cannot follow. Integrating a database feature into my homeschooling record-keeping probably fits into that category. ;)

Kid stuff in and around San Francisco

2008-03-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

Recently someone asked me for suggestions on ways to spend a week in SF with their 9 and 11 year old nephews. For future (and others') reference, here's what I offered:

Geographically, moving northward from Monterey/Big Sur northward and then over to the East Bay (I don't know much about the North bay kid offerings except, of course, that the redwoods and the ocean are beautiful):

The Tech Museum in San Jose (Technology and Innovation - good but if I was choosing only one science museum I'd still opt for the Exploratorium; though K says he would be conflicted if he had to pick only one)
http://www.thetech.com/

Viewing Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo State park:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1115

Tidepooling at Moss Park near Half Moon Bay:
http://www.halfmoonbaychamber.org/visiting_hmb/ecotourism/tidepools.html

Very good Organic Thai restaurant in Belmont:
http://jump.examiner.com/San_Francisco/Restaurant/restDetail.cfm?RestaurantID=10845

Homebrew Kid's Robotics Club
http://www.hbrobotics.org/

The Zeum (good Media center for kids. You can make a claymation films there; they also offer fun short weekend workshops):
http://www.zeum.org/education/weekendWorkshops.html

Art and Film Club for Teens (obviously older intended age but may be ok for your nephews):
http://www.chaseartfilm.com/

The Art and Film club (above) meets at The Randall Museum (www.randallmuseum.org) which is mostly of interest to younger kids but currently has an exhibit on mazes and also hosts Saturday morning drop-in ceramics as well as the amateur train club and the SF Amateur Astronomy lecture series: (http://www.sfaa-astronomy.org/calendar.php?drawevent:871)

Cool walking tours of the Mission murals:
http://www.precitaeyes.org/tours.html

Kids Outdoor Club (a drop in program for kids to play capture the flag, treasure hunt, soccer etc. in Golden Gate Park with other kids in case they get the desire to so or if the parents need some fun, safe care for their age range; K has had a great time there.)
http://www.kidsoutdoorclub.com/

Bay Area Theatresports (BATS) (not intended for kids but we've enjoyed shows there; some content may be adult-oriented)
http://www.improv.org/shows/calendar.htm

Greens Restaurant is right next door to BATS (can be busy)
http://www.greensrestaurant.com/about.html

The Exploratorium
(Great hands-on science museum; I've never seen a kid with any interest in science not love it)
http://www.exploratorium.edu/

Adventure Playground
Rough and ready outdoor adventure playground in Berkeley:
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/marina/marinaexp/adventplgd.html

That's a pretty big tip of an even bigger iceberg.

How to break into acting - The Basics

2008-02-19T15:56:00.000-08:00

Because of my past life as film and tv actor, I get asked fairly regularly how to get started in film and television and more so now since I began teaching acting classes at L.E.A.D. and through Destination Imagination. While there's a lot more to say on the topic, here are the first six points that pop into my head:

1) keep taking classes; professional actors study continuously

2) get involved in productions, amateur or community theater is great experience

3) get photos and resumes done and submit them to the local agents (but be VERY wary of getting involved with the companies who do it all; ie. charge you for pics, training etc and say they will be your agent. While some people get some experience through such "agencies" for the most part these are a waste of time and money. Reputable agents do not charge you upfront they just take a percentage of the work the actor books - usually 15%)

4) understand that the job comes with a lot of rejection and be ready to be philosophical about the many, many times you/they do not get the part knowing that you'll be rejected much more often than accepted.

5) find and develop specialties that will make you stand out and be distinct. These can include special talents and/or marketing yourself for particular types of roles

6) be tenacious.

Mini Review on "Easy To Love; Difficult to Discipline"

2007-11-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

I found that Becky Bailey's book, "Easy to Love; Difficult to Discipline" really met my need for for respect for, and love of, the child while still emphasizing the necessary role adult influence plays in parenting; Her approach bridges my Attachment Parenting inclination and my appreciation of positive communication with the importance of parent as model and guide

I have read a couple of reviews on the book which criticized the author for being condescending (not to mention the sin of all parenting-advice sins-- childless). Personally, I always take what I need and leave the rest.

What I liked about Bailey's book was the emphasis on looking at the foundation for loving guidance which she calls the "the powers of self-control" and which include things like awareness, love, acceptance, and intention. Once we start with our own self-awareness of increase our own powers of self-control then we have the foundation for what Bailey calls the "Discipline Skills" (including empathy, the offering of choices, and encouragement). The ultimate intention is to model and teach the values of respect, compassion and responsibility.

The one caveat on this book is that Bailey's focus on loving guidance underlines the view that the parent has a responsibility to set limits, which will not fit, philosophically, for some.

Gifted Issues in the Media (argh!)

2006-12-27T03:31:00.000-08:00

An article in the North County Times about some parents' concerns regarding their local gifted program, really misrepresented the issues, in my opinion.

Here's my Letter to the Editor:

Keith Rushing's article on the possible conflict between Gifted and Talented programs and other special needs programs really missed the point. The quoted father, Van Doren, is right to be concerned about gifted programs in his school district losing funding but his concerns were not well represented. Instead, Rushing boarded the bandwagon of misunderstanding about giftedness and highlighted an either/or conflict between gifted and other special needs.

Sadly, Rushing's journalistic focus supports the myth that gifted kids are just kids with loud, privileged parents trying to get more resources for their own. The reality is that gifted students, who may have mental functioning two, three or even four standard deviations from the norm, have intellectual, social and academic special needs vastly different from those of their peers.

Because of the far-too-common belief that smart kids will do fine, or that they are "already privileged" either because of their intelligence or because of their perceived socio-economic status, gifted students are often the very last in line for special services, though they need them as much as, say English-learning students. I believe this was the point which Van Doren may have been trying to make, but which was lost in the face of so much basic misunderstanding of the needs faced by gifted children, which unfortunately, Rushing's article does little to correct.

Computer Use for Kids?

2006-12-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

Some in my AP community are exploring the question of computers for toddlers and young children. I offered our experience:

When K was very small we let him play on the keyboard and used it to teach him letters, symbols by allowing him type with the font size very large etc. Then at about 18 months or so we discontinued pretty much all computer use for him. No computer was a follow-on to our overall no-media choice which we made because we felt it was better for his developing brain.

No-media has not been a simple choice...definitely the road-less-traveled in our culture and more and more difficult as he has gotten older and friends now have gameboys, X-boxes, computers, tv's in their cars etc etc. About two months ago, as part of our homeschooling year, we got him his own computer, two months before his 8th birthday. Right now he has free access to it, however the content on it is highly limited, currently a typing program, Rosetta Stone Spanish, wikipedia, a NASA site, Adobe illustrator, Photoshop, Paint, and Myst (the only thing that is anything like a video game but is really more like a world than a game). Yes, he wants to play more games and more often than he generally is allowed...he will ask for example to play the skiing game on my phone, for example. But he also knows that it's not our family culture to sit playing video games etc., that we regard the computer as a tool for thinking and creating etc., just like he has known for many years that our particular family culture doesn't include tv-watching. Will he become obsessed with media as a teenager or adult? Maybe...but for the first almost 8 years of his life he spent his hours playing imagination games, reading, building things, making up scenarios, reading some more, creating etc. etc.

I am extremely happy that we pushed back for as long as we did! I feel a little sad to see how much he (like probably many of us adults, myself included) now automatically gravitates first to the computer. It seems much more difficult for him to think of interesting things to do on his own now, just two months later, whereas even up until a month ago he used to be extremely self-sufficient and able to entertain himself for hours during all kinds of different things. I can't help but think that if he had had much earlier access to the computer, he likely would have missed reading hundreds of books (some many times over) and so many hours of self-created innocent play.

Stan in spike

2005-11-21T22:19:00.000-08:00

Very exciting! My Stanhopea orchid is just about to flower. It's been in spike for about three weeks and I think it's about one more week away from opening.

Disagreement

2005-10-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was talking with a new friend, whom I met through an Attachment Parenting baby group.  Since so many of us found each other after experiencing the local Mother’s clubs as foreign in approach and content, we ended up discussing Like-mindedness.  She made what was, to me, a really fascinating observation…that in our culture there is not much ability to be with conflict and difference.  In particular we were meandering over the fact that so many people, parents and others in the United States, are so much more comfortable hanging out with people who share their beliefs.
And it is true that many of the people in our group are thrilled to have found people with similar parenting styles, especially so since most of our parenting styles are not the norm in this culture.

Incidentally, this friend is Israeli and from my trips to Israel and based on my experience with Israeli friends, I’ve noticed that Israelis are much more comfortable in general with difference and disagreement.

Relatedly, I’ve noticed, as someone who often has strong and uncommon opinions, combined with a seeming inability to keep them to myself, that being in disagreement often results in people feeling criticized, dismissed or "less than".  I guess that’s why I tend to be drawn towards people who have strong opinions with little fear of expressing them.  In a way, it’s safer for me.  It gives me more room.

8 Reasons I think I want to Blog

2005-09-13T19:23:00.000-07:00

1. My brain needs exercise but I only have time for bite-size chunks.
2. I need a place to rant where doing so won't result in my losing friends (see 7).
3. To remind myself that I can type and even compose sentences.
4. To explore some of the ideas which are interesting to me.
5. It's something new.
6. To exercise my don't-wait-til-it's-perfect muscle.
7. As a verbal-processor I usually need to talk/write my way through things as a way of making sense of the world (see 2).
8. I'm a bit of literal exhibitionist (metaphorically-speaking).