Market Farming

["Liz Pike" <liz AT marketfarming.com>]

I homeschooled for 5 years, and hosted groups on our farm, so I know it from
both sides.  Earlier posts gave excellent advice.  I only have 2 points to
add.

I agree with the kids attention spans being longer.  But for the
parents--for understandable reasons, namely being with their kids 24/7--the
parents' attention span shortens!!  Many of them see this opportunity as
"babysitting", and go off to relax and converse amongst themselves ( I
understood that and wanted to do the same when we did field trips to other
locations).  Be prepared to educate them as to your job to
assist/teach/coach their kids, while they are still needed for
discipline--this isn't coffee hour for them.   Most hs kids are well
behaved.  But when you remember some of them were removed from other schools
for discipline problems, you will quickly discover the need to take a strong
hand early on as to the parents' responsibilities.

4-H materials are excellent resources for what to teach.  You can even have
the kids do project books.  They do not need to be in a 4-H club--they can
just do the activities and if they wish,  enter them in the various contests
near the end of the year, including your county/state fairs.   I
particularly liked this approach as the materials were divided into age
levels.

Liz Pike
Laughing Brook Farm
Westfield NC
laughingbrookfarm.com