Medieval Living

If you were ever wondering why I am such an advocate for homeschooling, take a look at the following comments. Let me throw this out here in the front of the article . . . if after you have read this blog you agree that homeschooled children deserve our support, click on the donations box and show that you truly care.

Thank you

HOMESCHOOLING STATISTICS

New Mexico has over 10,000 homeschool children. Unlike traditional students, the homeschooled student doesn’t receive the benefit of state and federal monies. In fact, the taxes paid by the homeschool family go to support students in the public schools, not their own. Instead, the parents of homeschooled children provide all of the support out of their own pockets. Nationally, the parents of homeschool children provide over $26 billion in taxes to school districts, with none of it being directed to the homeschool students themselves. While it is true that homeschooling is a choice, the parents of homeschool children also feel very strongly that the public schools are failing to provide quality education for their children.

Homeschooling is growing rapidly as a practical alternative to public school education. The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), an office of the United States Education Department, has been tracking homeschool statistics since 1999. Over the past ten years, the number of U.S. students receiving a homeschool education has increased from 850,000 to 1,508,000. As public education continues to struggle in meeting parental expectations for their children, homeschooling will continue to gain popularity. The State of New Mexico is only supportive of the homeschool community in that the application process is fairly simple. However, there is absolutely no state assistance for parents in securing homeschool financial aid, curriculum development, or textbook availability.

The motivation for most parents to select homeschooling for their children is varied; the primary reason is parental concern about the environment of public schools (safety, drugs and negative peer pressure), followed by a desire to provide religious or moral instruction which is not given in the public schools. In a 2005 NCES report, students in the ages from 12 to18 were the victims of over 1.5 million thefts and violent crimes at school. The debate over moral and religious education in public schools continues, with many parents citing the excessive crime rates in public schools as evidence supporting the need for reforms in values education.

We all know that times are a little rough right now. Just imagine if you had to pay extra for your kids to get a basic education. (In some countries, they do pay more!!!) Wouldn’t it be nice of some good people decided that they would help you out a little. Seriously . . . $10 here, $20 there . . . heck, we spend that much on bad food from those fast food joints and all we get is indigestion, increased colesteral, and “extra points” when we stand on the scale. If you’ve read this far, then it won’t hurt you to spend a few more minutes clicking on the “Donate” button below and completing a simple donation transaction. (It’s all done through PayPal, so it should be reasonbly secure.) Thank you!!!

I am really excited about the developments surrounding Medieval Living’s Activity Center. The program will be able to serve so many needy homeschool children, providing them with a solid educational base with alot of hands-on activities. As with any program, there are some short comings. In particular, the Activity Center is not conveniently located for those homeschool families who live along the perimeter of the state. A four to six hour drive one-way is just not a practical “day trip” for anyone, let alone a car full of children. So . . . how can I work to resolve this issue. The traveling history museum is still a practical idea; however, I think we should only tackle one major project at a time. Let’s get the Activity Center up and running before jumping into another big project.

An alternative is to provide homeschool families in outlying areas with traveling “trunks”. This is a common practice among museums throughout the country. A sample of artifacts (usually reproductions) is selected and place in a box or trunk. If a group of students wants to learn about a particular topic, the appropriate “trunk” is mailed (FedEx/UPS) to the students, accompanied by some instructional materials. Upon arrival, the students are able to learn through manipulating and using the artifacts. Once the lesson is completed, the items are returned to the museum, ready to be sent off to another group of eager students.

I’ve come up with a list of a dozen items that could be easily assembled and placed into a “trunk”. I need to give a little more thought into what I would want to include, as well as develop some curriculum to accompany the artifacts. The living history convention I will be attending in February may prove to be the resource I need for working out the particulars, as this is one of the items on the program. I think a “traveling trunk” program would be a more practical solution for the immediate future, given the amount of energy that will be needed for setting up the Activity Center.

Just a quick note to let folks know that I have not fallen off the face of the earth . . .

I’m making preprations to attend the Association of Living History, Farms, and Agriculture Museums which is being held the end of February in Little Rock, Arkansas. Looks like it will be a good opportunity to rub elbows with those who have been in the living history business for a while. Hey, it might even be fun! I’m looking forward to the many workshops and meetings – they all sound incredibly interesting!!! It will give me a break from the daily routine of the classroom too – always good to take a few “mental health” days to recharge and refocus. I’ll post more as the event comes closer.

Still working on numerous grants for the Activity Center. I had an email from a homeschool cooperative leader, asking me to please come and teach some classes for their group . . . around 70 kids. She is trying to put together a six week program, and the Medieval era would have fit into her planning incredibly well. I had to turn her down, as I just don’t have the ability to give that kind of time in the middle of the day. If I can get the Activity Center up and running, and if I can get enough funding to allow me to not work in the public school (and my part-time job as well), then I can say “yes” to such requests . . . infact, I would welcome the opportunity to provide services to such groups.

I will just keep plugging along . . . we will get there eventually. Of course, I want it all now . . . patience, patience, patience.

Cheers!!!

Well I don’t usually like to post “negative” sounding topics here, but I just feel like I should put a voice to something that has been a real frustration: meeting places for classes and activities. Now we have had some good things happen related to meeting places – Cherry Hills Library and the Los Lunas Public Library in particular have been extremely cooperative in allowing us to meet in their facilities. And of course, we can usually meet in “public” places, such as Haynes Park in Rio Rancho.

However . . . . . . that’s about it – we have tried some other “facilities” and have met with significant resistance. Not everyone seems to share our support for homeschool families. I think that this is a combination of things: education about homeschooling and a “good-old-boy” mentality in particular. What can be done? Hmmmm, well I do think that homeschooling has a negative perception among those who have no real exposure to it. Those who have had the chance to work with the homeschool community are quickly coming around to see its benefits. So educating people and exposing community leaders and administrators to the positive aspects of homeschooling would certainly help. About the “good-old-boy” thing . . . well that is much more deeply entrenched and difficult to counter.

I have stated before that my plate is full to overflowing . . . yet, I am seeing the need for some sort of informational campaign to raise the popularity of homeschooling. That’s not to say I am trying to encourage more people to homeschool (although that is fine with me if it happens), but to improve the reputation of the homeschooling movement so that it is more generally accepted as a viable edcuational method.

To that end . . . there are two things that would help me be able to work on these issues (plus the countless other tasks which are fighting for a place on my “plate”): a place of our own to work out of, that is, a dedicated space for classes, activities, equipment storage, project construction, and administration; and a salary so that I can commit full-time to this endeavor. At this time, neither one is being considered. While looking for time in the workshop to build trebuchets for classes, I am also spending time on the “net” looking for grants and other funding options. The “team” is struggling a bit, not because of any lack of motivation, but life in general is weighing heavily upon us. Having these two key events happen would be a real springboard toward achieving our homeschooling goals.

I can make all sorts of pleas for assistance . . . but frankly, I’ve seen very little movement on the donation front – we did pull in a little during the ren fair, and we had a yard sale last weekend that brought in a little more . . . neither is enough to put a dent in any of the major projects that we have waiting in the wings. Yet, in spite of the frustrations, I know that what we are doing is the right thing, and that we will “keep on keeping on”. Thanks for the words of encouragement from some of the readers here.

Just a side note: Although most of the “hits” for my blog come from people seeking information on Medieval history, not homeschooling, the number of “hits” is at an all-time high. At this moment, the blog is 6 hits shy of reaching a monthly high, and there is still one more full day ahead. Each day averages around 36 visits. Considering that there is no advertising, no marketing campaign, that’s really a nice number. Now, if I can only get more homeschool-oriented hits! Oh, the fullness of my plate . . . thank you for reading this whole thing . . . and please, send a note or message saying that you support our goals, even if only in spirit. Thank you.

Please don’t misunderstand me . . . modern technology is great! There are some applications of modern devices which save lives and help people be more efficient in their businesses and classrooms. The very fact that I am using a computer, the internet, social networking and so on to share with others about Medieval Living is wonderful . . . I don’t know how we managed before these inventions.

However . . . some of these wonderful devices also suck the life right out of us. In particular, the cell phone, iPod-style devices, and gaming consoles have reduced us to a bunch of unimaginative, lazy zombies. Kids in particular are affected by these marvels of modern technology. Teachers in the public schools are in a constant battle with cell phones and iPods . . . and if the teacher takes the device away from the student, then the parents threaten to sue the teacher and the school. Yet, when the student has their “technology” with them, they tune out the classroom lesson and their grades begin to plummet . . . and again, the school and teacher are threatened by the parent, this time because their little “darling” is failing school.

I love the cellphone commercial on the television where superheroes have been called in to save a family from their daughter’s “texting” problem. The superheros bring in the cell phone representative, who solves the problem by offering a “package” that will keep the family’s phone bill in control. I think alot of us have a different solution to the problem . . . take the kid’s cellphone away! Problem solved!

Again, I’m not anti-technology. It’s like anything else . . . there is a time and a place, and all things in moderation. My son’s friend mentioned once about how much time he spent playing a particular online game. “I could have learned a new language instead of playing this game,” he said.

I think that’s a big part of our purpose here at Medieval Living. Now I don’t expect people to throw away contemporary living for the hard life of a Medieval commoner. But I do think that when people learn to make things by hand (rather then by computerized machines) that they begin to realize how much work and effort goes into making something. Maybe they will never make weaving or pottery their life’s work, but once they learn the basics of a particular skill, they will appreciate fabric and stoneware alot more.

And of course, we always need to look at technology for what it is . . . a way of making life easier or of solving a problem. I’m in the process of building a lesson using the Medieval trebuchet. At some point in history, the trebuchet was a contemporary piece of technology, with innovative ideas and the application of science and math. That’s exactly our purpose for looking at the trebuchet . . . to teach a little history, a little math, a little science . . and to have a little fun. When we get to the timber framing projects, it will be the same idea . . . learning math, science and history, plus the added benefit of learning about a construction method that has regained some interest in modern construction.

Am i against modern technology? No, of course not. But I do think that as a culture, we have lost the ability to make things for ourselves, to be more self-reliant. We buy junk at WalMart and other places – use it for a short while and then throw it away because we don’t know how to repair it. Perhaps if we learned to make some things ourselves, we would have better quality products that we can maintain for ourselves.

So how about it? Want your homeschoolers to learn to become more self-reliant? Then let’s explore some historical arts and crafts. Call me or send me an email, write a snail mail letter (don’t get many of those these days!), or come knock on my door. We’ll leave our cellphones and iPods at home (or at least turned off and tucked away), and put our hands and our brains to good use by making something or doing some activity that freshens our imaginations, encourages a healthy lifestyle, and removes the “zombie” glaze from our eyes!!!

Here are a couple of photos from the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair. The first one is of yours truly standing in front of my 20′ diameter ger (yurt). The second photo is of Zella and Melissa (VP of Medieval Living) inside the yurt. The photos are on Flickr courtesy of “sandiaman41″. He has many more photos to share on Flickr.com!!

One of the many projects I am working on involves teaching homeschoolers how timber frame-structures are built. During the Middle Ages, timber frame-style buildlings were very common, and they survived for hundreds of years. There is a renewed interest in the U.S. in using timber frame-engineering.

I am designing some tabletop kits that homeschoolers can assemble that will teach them the basics of timber framing. We hope to accomplish several things with these kits: these projects serve as cross-curricular activities, blending history, math/geometry, and science; they help students develop an appreciation for historical building methods; and they are fun and interesting puzzles to solve.

Now, I can spend hours and hours using a mallet and chisel to create these kits, or, if I have access to a mortising machine, I can mass produce them with relative ease. I already have a garage full of woodworking equipment, but a mortiser (1/2 or 3/4 hp) is not among them.

So . . . I am looking either for a donation of a used, working, mortising machine or access to a mortiser (mostly during the weekends). We will provide a receipt for tax purposes (we are a 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity).

I don’t know what the attendance was for the 2010 Santa Fe Renaissance Fair, but I know that my “booth” had a constant flow of people coming through. Of course, my “booth” was a little different then most, as it was a 20 foot diameter yurt (or a “ger” if your from Mongolia). Last year’s attendance was around 5,000 – I am guessing that this year’s was even higher.

We had numerous homeschool families stop by to visit, which gave us the chance to explain who we are and what services we provide. We also discussed our future goals and aspirations, including the development of a Medieval living history museum (very similar in concept to the El Rancho de los Golondrinas museum where the fair was held. We had alot of positive feed back, and the activities we had provided for the kids gave everyone a chance to experience a little of Medieval life.

We also met alot of kindred spirits. I am hoping to join up with a pottery maker out of Los Lunas, a “zoo” in Edgewood, and bowmaker from Albuquerque. And of course, we met alot of people who were just wanting to see the inside of a yurt! I will post pics as soon as I get them downloaded. There were several others taking photos, so I will either have them posted here, or I will provide a link.

Today’s chainmail class at the Cherry Hills Library went very nicely. All of the students seemed to enjoy their project. I reduced the class from 2 hours to just one hour, as some of the younger students get frustrated rather easily – their dexterity and focus seem to wane after about 45 minutes. With the shorter class, they all seemed to hang in there! I have another class scheduled for next Tuesday, but I have yet to hear of anyone interested. I can’t seem to crack the Rio Rancho homeschool crowd . . . if anyone knows who I could contact, please send me an email or contact me on here.

In the public school scene, the World History classes are all beginning the topic of the Renaissance and Refomation. Just as a coincidence, the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair is just around the corner. So . . . I just mentioned that it would be a neat idea to offer “extra credit” for any student who visits my yurt at the fair. I will give each student a “token” of some sort that proves their attendance. Well, I thought maybe I would get about 5 or 6 students . . . but from what I’m hearing through the teacher grapevine, it might be closer to 50 or 60! I am thrilled and honored to have that many come to the fair!!! But now I need to come up with a “token” idea, as before I thought I would just offer some simple babble; me thinks I need something more significant. So, time to put on the creative thinking cap and come up with a good idea. The workshop is calling to me, so I assume I will find something on the workbench that will inspire me.

At the beginning of school, one of the teaching assistants was showing me some coloring books she had acquired. Now, I don’t usually get all excited about coloring books, but . . . well, these were some nicely done books and several of them had a Medieval history theme. And the prices weren’t too bad either! So, I did the Google search thing and found them online at Bellerophonbooks.com – they have a nice selection of other topics as well, so for the homeschool family with little ones, this might be a good resource. And even the older kids might enjoy some of these books. In addition to coloring books, they also have books that have castles which can be cut out and assembled (colored first). Homeschoolers might also enjoy some of their other titles which have a variety of themes.

I placed an order and had it within 3 days – very pleasantly surprised, as I expected the usual week or two that I get when order things online. I paid around $40 for eight books, including shipping – not bad!