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Wow!!! Share something about us - start the clock.
We are active in civic and community activities, and just about everything we do has something to do with learning. Mom
is single, works from home as a writer, and teaches the three of us that are still home - when we need 'teaching' that is.
Big sister, Brenna, graduated last year and has taken up residence in an incredibly interesting new private college.
She thinks it's great to have her own place, her roommate is hardly ever there, and she gets to live on campus in the 'big
city'. But I can tell she really misses us, cuz she comes home often!
I'm Tatia and my favorite thing to do for fun is play pool online and meet new people! Other than that, I enjoy just
about all kinds of learning opportunities and well, just about everything I do! I'm 13, so one of my primary interests is
making friends - so if you want to be my new friend - email me. ;)
Sean and Kenton are my little brothers and they are kind of pesky - but I love them anyway! They are heavy into learning
about spiders and snakes and creapy crawly things, and I always know they are gonna put something creapy in my bed. Eeeewwwww!
We live in a fun town. It's kind of small, but we like it. It's home! That's about it - if you want to know us better
you'll have to just contact us.
"Learn the stuff for the test, but learn where to find it for life!"
~ Jan Verhoeff ~
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Curriculum is always such a big thing with home educators. Parents lookout for something that makes the learning process
more 'family oriented' while focusing on developing an education that will take their children through life with the ability
to live well and achieve various goals.
While we have a lot of 'educational events' at Buchanan Academy our primary curriculum is 'unschooling'. We learn by living.
We found out in those early days that Mom's schedule and typical forms of education just don't work together. Life gets
in the way and subjects get tossed aside for important daily events. So, we had to find a better way.
It was pretty easy! Mom put the books away and we started concentrating on living. Slowly some things were added back,
like some math workbooks, for when we got bored with playing and doing crafts and projects. Then we found some great history
books that have projects and crafts included! It was really fun to learn about history and have something fun to put with
the new information.
As we added back various educational tools, mom added in some requested reading - we got to choose what we read. Then
we started taking trips that included visits to historical sites, educational museums, and places that made us really think
about life. We were learning interesting stuff, without all that time spent studying at a desk. Mom decided it was more
fun to learn that way, and we found out that we learned more because we had hands on projects to learn from.
Education is an important part of life.
We learned that life skills are part of education, and we spend a lot of our time on basic life skills. Things like keeping
our home orderly, cooking interesting and healthy meals, and making clothing or quilts, and gardening for food and landscaping
are important parts of our life. Whenever we are traveling, Mom makes us read the map and tell her what roads to take. I'm
sure she already knows, but it taught us to read maps and learn local geography so we can know where we are, even when we
feel lost.
Besides the usual stuff, we learn how to write computer languages, how to work on a toaster, how to wire a house, how
to care for our vehicle, and things like basic construction and mechanics are always part of our learning process.
Even though these things are necessary, I've found that there are a lot of people even mom's age who don't know how to
do them. My sister found out when she went to college that doing laundry was far more than just a chore; she had to teach
many of her friends how to run the laundry equipment.
Student of the Year 2003/2004
2003/2004's Student of the Year is Tatia Verhoeff. At 14, Tatia is an 8th grader at Buchanan Academy - our family home school.
She'll be happily entering the high school curriculum at 9th Grade level this year and Buchanan Sr. Academy!
Her achievements for the past year include aggresive 'family training' with 'toddler emphasis', participation in knowledge
bowl, completion of Jr. Math Achievements, and Elementary Essay and Composition Writing. Tatia's interest in government was
peaked by the 2004 elections coming on, specifically her interest in Pro-Life and Family.
Her studies included interest in Teen Pregnancy - Prevention, and Family planning with a strong emphasis on Christian
Values.
Other interests include painting, history, needle crafts, reading, and sports.
While playing softball, and then catch with her sister, Tatia's claim to fame included throwing the ball and injuring
her Grandmother - who was catching without a mit. Grandma says her knee will never be quite the same, but she certainly enjoyed
playing catch with someone who knew how to throw the ball.
Student of the Quarter
Sean Verhoeff accomplishes much in the course of his day. Striving to improve knowlege and informational background interest
in electronical design, his days often include designing a new invention of some sort, or continuing to work on an on going
project.
Currently his focus is on reading about electrical designs from the past, researching engineers who are inspired by wind
generated power. He's showing a remarkable interest in new power sources, continuing his study of aerodynamics and wind generation.
Sean is perceptive, goal oriented, and productively involved in family life.
Star Author 2004
Ever the story teller, Kenton finally achieved his goal. After an afternoon of playing in the front yard, Kenton proceeded
to tell Mom about his adventures and a small lizard he'd found exploring the rocks around the pond. As he chattered away,
Mom typed his story into the computer, and suggested he help her edit it into a children's story book.
With a grin as big as all of Texas, Kenton chose a name for his lizard, added in descriptions of butterflies, and the flowers
around the pond. His eyes lit up the house for days, after mom printed off his computer generated sketches, and book. The
wait was on. He had a book at the printers, and another one in the computer. By the time the first one was off the press,
he'd worked out two more adventurous tails for "Corky the Happy Lizard".
"Corky the Happy Lizard" is now available for $4.95 plus $1.00 shipping and handling. (For info about PayPal payment email
mom at: Jan Verhoeff or send your check to our address at the bottom of this page.)
Visit Kenton's website.
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