Hi from PA

[Heather Young]

Just discovered this group--kind of a der sort of moment. :)

We are a Christian radical unschooling family of 5 here in Western PA. Not a lot of us around here-- in fact, we are the only ones we know! My husband and I as well as our three kids have loved unschooling from the start (well, once we realized there was a name for it--for a long time we just called it relaxed ecclectic and left it at that.)

My husband and I are both completely self taught in our areas of interest (he is a programmer and writer who actually gets paid for both! :)) And I am an artist/web designer--though I am actually did go to school to be a teacher--which just showed me that unschooling really is better (traditional schooling is all about behavior management and has nothing to do with how kids learn.) Our kids are 11, 9, and almost 8 and despit our unschooling are all learning what they need and are very well adjusted much to the surprise of our family (all teachers:)) who often ask when we are starting up our homeschool again. (I find that showing them works much better than attempting to explain to people who's ideas are so thoroughly and deeply rooted.)

We are really hoping to hook up with some other unschoolers, especially for the sake of my older two who are frustrated even hanging out with other traditional homeschoolers.

[Sherry Ruetschi]

I am so thrilled to have found this site, I have been trying to homeschool for 3 yrs now, and we are definitely unschoolers....  for some time now I have been getting down on myself for not "educating" my children properly....  I know that they learn at their own pase and was so relieved to find an actuall term for our style of educating.  We live in SR and my oldest son Justin, is going to be 15 the end of January.  Shannon is 10, Nicole is 5 and Keith is 1yr.   I would love to talk to you and see how things have been going for you. Occasionally I am on FB, but not as of late. 

talk to ya soon!

Sherry 

[Heather Young]

Sherry, by SR do you mean Slippery Rock?  If so you are not far from us (though we are definitely moving in the near future-- as soon as we find a new place to live. :))

[Sherry Ruetschi]

Yes we live just north of the Old Stone House.... I have to work on a portfolio this year and really haven't put much aside for it.  Our children were homeschooling through PA Cyber, but it too had too much structure and rules for us to work with.

[Heather Young]

Oh cool.  We are in Butler though may be moving closer to New Castle judging from rental prices. :)