It’s The Teenage Liberation Handbook: How to Quit School and get a Real Education by Grace Llewellyn. What is interesting is that it was written in 1991 (revised in 1998) so it’s a pretty old book (in the world of homeschooling/unschooling). I really wish I’d read it way back when we started our homeschooling adventure in 1997 (has it really been 10 years?). It is written to teens - someone mentioned to me that they read this book a few years ago and had a strong urge to pass out copies at the local high school but they were afraid they’d be arrested. Hmmm - if you could really liberate a whole high school - how fun!

Not On The Test
by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 2007 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)

Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you’ll do just fine.
It’s reading and math. Forget all the rest.
You don’t need to know what is not on the test.

Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers. Their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don’t get all stressed.
They’d never teach anything not on the test.

The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they’re caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school ’cause they’re not on the test.

Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You’ll learn there’s a lot that is not on the test.

Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you’re in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
‘Cause rational discourse was not on the test.

Thinking’s important. It’s good to know how.
And someday you’ll learn to, but someday’s not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don’t think about thinking. It’s not on the test.

You can listen to the song here. Click on “Not On The Test” and then click “Listen”.

Robert Krampf sends me an email each week with a cool science experiment. I just learned last week that he has some videos of his experiments online now. I hope he keeps adding to them - the boys and I enjoyed watching them. We learned how to find north without a compass, how to crush a can in fraction of a second and more. He lives in Florida and does presentations for public, private and home school groups - those lucky Floridians! During hurricane he season offered some advice that I enjoyed - “If the power goes out, eat the ice cream first!”

Sign up for the experiment of the week here, and you, too, can get science in your email. And I love how he signs off each video experiment so I’ll do the same:

Have a wonder filled week!

Last year I requested this DVD parenting seminar for my birthday (there’s also a book - I got that later)… Screamfree Parenting. It has really changed the way I relate to my kids. I still mess up, still have a lot of work to do but I know I’ve gotten better. Today I think I need to start watching it again… for the third time. Yes, I have a thick head and short memory.

Go here: http://moon.google.com/ then zoom in as far as you can. Those comedians…