My Master's Degree

Many of you know that I am in seminary, getting an M.Div from Starr King School for the Ministry. Many people who go through this program become ministers or chaplains. What am I going to do with my degree? I have decided to once again work with children* and help others who do so.

I am slowly but surely creating a homeschooling curriculum for people that want their children to have a multi-religious, multi-cultural, social justice-focused, child-driven curriculum. Next semester, I will begin actually writing the units that will serve as the examples of what the rest of the book (yes, I hope to be published!) will look like.

The world's religions, countries, and inspiring activists and artists will be studied. Issues like civil liberties and volunteerism will be critical in this curriculum, which will teach children and youth to read, write, think critically, analyze issues, and learn the scientific method.

Yes, indeed my son will learn math and science, too**. I am writing units on those subjects as well. The evolution unit will discuss Darwin (and how his theories were misused by those in power in the eugenics movement and in capitalism) as well as Kropotkin- another biologist in Darwin's time who discusses evolution not in terms of competition but cooperation. The unit will lead into a civil librties and critical thinking exercise about how some people use their religion as a reason to not learn about things like evolution and do not want others to learn it, either.

Do you homeschool? Why or why not? Did you create the curriculum, unschool, or use someone else's? Why?

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*I have been a public school teacher, a mentor and tutor, and Girl Scout leader, and a Sunday school teacher. I continue to volunteer at my local UU church in the religious education department.

**This curriculum will serve me as well- as I intend on homeschooling my son.