For the first time ever, Homeschool.com will be doing a LIVE interview and we want you to join us. This Wednesday, May 19th, we will be interviewing Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon. Although he is only in his early twenties, his book is #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and he has made guest appearances on both the David Letterman and Jay Leno shows. Christopher attributes his success to the fact that he was homeschooled.  You can read more about Christopher in last month’s newsletter at Homeschool.com.

Christopher is an inspiration to homeschooled teens everywhere and we invite both you and your older children to listen in as we interview Christopher and find out:

• What type of homeschooling did Christopher do? Unschooling? School-at-Home?
• Did he follow a particular curriculum?
• Is his household TV-free?
• How did his parents encourage him? What can we learn from that?
• What advice does he have for other aspiring writers?
• Can he give us a sneak preview on what will happen in Part Two?

P.S. If you have not yet read Eragon, it is available from Amazon.com for $13.26.
You can also hear an excerpt from the audio version by clicking here (requires Real Player).

1) Benchmarks (also known as “rites-of-passage”)
In the book All Grown Up and No Place to Go, the author talks about how our rushed society has blurred benchmarks that lead children through adolescence towards independence. As Jim explains, "Camp offers kids supervised benchmarks. An obvious benchmark is that new campers experience their first semi-independent living experience in a unique environment without parents.” At Deer Crossing, for example, they offer a program that allows kids to climb a ladder of skills leading to more responsibilities and freedom. For example, as part of their out-tripping program, beginners can elect to go on an easy backpacking trip, but they still learn leadership and packing skills that, in returning years, can lead to major ascents where they are more involved with planning, food preparation, map reading, and leading under the supervision of professional mountain guides. Jim advises that when you are looking for a summer camp make sure the activities are designed with a progressive structure. This empowers a camper to go from beginner all the way to instructor/guide if that's their goal. Look for a camp with both depth and structured programming that will lead to clear benchmarked experiences for children.

2) Balancing wants and needs
The movie/mall/radio/Internet/concert/media blitzkrieg encourages a voracious consumer appetite in children. What children buy is never as satisfying as what they still need to get. Summer camp re-establishes balance quite simply--a rural or wilderness environment pulls the plug on the pervasive technological sellers, offering a new peace to children. As the great explorer Admiral Byrd put it, " Half the confusion in the world comes from not knowing how little we need." Summer camp gives children a perspective that can clear up some of that confusion." At Deer Crossing Camp they have a store called the Sierra Mall. Said Jim with a grin, "It's a box the size of a suit-case."

3) Cultivating the "other" intelligence
Books like Emotional Intelligence point out that a high emotional quotient (EQ) is a better predictor of life success than a high IQ. This is why savvy homeschoolers seek socialization experiences outside the home. People sense–how to interact, communicate, negotiate, and understand others–is an EQ skill promoted at summer camp in a big way, and it is all due to a unique feature. "Over-night camps," said Wiltens, "are one of the few places where children live away from home on a 24 hour basis. Under this schedule, campers quickly become genuine. This is what occurs in families. In a family, a child understands a few people very well due to the intense interaction. A good camp, like a family, expands that knowledge. At Jim’s camp, campers discuss which activities are to be offered during the day (negotiation). In the afternoon, a camper in the captain's position in a sailboat gives directions to his crew (leadership). Later in the afternoon, a group of children brainstorm to come up with skits for campfire entertainment (group problem solving). In the evening, kids gaze at the stars while sharing their feelings about the day's events (empathy)." A variety of activities and challenges on a 24 hour schedule results is a unique learning experience that improves people sense.

4) Huckleberry Finn spirit
Homeschooled children are often independent and self-reliant when it comes to academics but sometimes there's a fine-line between nurturing and over-protection. When parents are always in the wings, kids have a subliminal sense of dependence. "You remember Huckleberry Finn," said Wiltens, "The character who dealt with all kinds of challenges. At summer camp kids soak up that Huckleberry Finn spirit. It lets them know they can survive and thrive away from home. Parents recognize this when they comment that their returning camper looks two inches taller."

5) Planet protector?
Will your child be a planet protector? Research shows that concern and love for nature is nurtured by early positive childhood experiences in the out-of-doors. "At camp," said Wiltens, "we think of each positive camper experience as a way to make friends with Mother Nature. When I see kids glowing with pride after a backpacking trip, hear them laughing around a star-ceilinged campfire, or share their adrenalin rush whoop when rappelling down vertical rock, I know that these feelings are anchored to the environment they occurred in." This is important, because we protect what we love.

6) Are you prepared?
In the tween (10-12) to teen years, children start shopping for a personal identity. In this search, role models, outside the family, become urgently important. Think of summer camp as a proactive move to introduce your child to super role models. "When I interview applicants," explained Wiltens, "I tell candidates that I'm not looking for counselors, I'm looking for role models who can inspire by example."

7) Immunization against college shock syndrome
Some children have never been away from home for extended periods until they leave for college. Many of them suffer from college shock syndrome. The stress of decisions without parent support, new environment, new schedules, new food, and new responsibilities can overload first year students to the point of dropping out. On the other hand, children who have experienced the dormitory of summer camp for two weeks, overcome feelings of homesickness as children, and dealt with a diverse mix of people in a 24 hour living situation will experience less stress in their first critical year of college. Summer camp is a college preparatory investment.

MathPlayground.com offers a challenging math program for children, ages 7 to 13. Their problem solving packets contain engaging, multi-step word problems that connect math concepts with everyday situations and help children develop critical thinking skills. The problem sets are graded and video solutions are available online. For more information, please visit: http://www.MathPlayground.com/solveit.html or phone 1-781-237-0899

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