INTRODUCTION #2

“I don’t know how you’re doing this, or how you are funding this, or what exactly you’re doing, but I gather you’re traveling to schools to write a book about them.”

I laughed. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m visiting schools that are doing things differently. Some of them are radically different and others may just be altering the way the students learn or how they run their school. I’m really seeing all sorts.”

“Well what are you going to do about the price tag that comes with these types of schools?”

My dad. The constant devil’s advocate. This is actually a good thing. You know when he starts grilling you if you have the chops to back up what you’re deciding to do. His questioning will cause the weak to falter and the strong to grow stronger by making them confirm their idea or their belief.

An example is the time my brother held a big screen showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life” for our family during the holidays at the Wealthy Theatre where he worked. My dad leaned down the aisle and hollered to me referring to my guest, “So, Jeannie! What do you think you have a calling from the Lord to date everyone named Steve?!”

I glared down at him, really having nothing to say since, yes, this was the 4th Steve I had dated in a 10 year period. As I shot him those mortified daughter eyes, a head poked out from beside me. “Yes, but this time the Lord sent me.” That was Steve.
So, yes, I married this Steve.

Back to my dad’s Avalon where my bum was pleasantly warming on his heated seats on that 35 degree October morning.

“No, you’re right, some do come with a price tag. I’m also visiting progressive public and charter schools. You know though, even the private schools hold information that can be incorporated into any existing public system. Also, on the other hand, private works for some people, so I want to be sure to cover all of my bases.”

I began to bombard him with the stories of the democratic school I visited in Utah, sure to confirm again that no, this was not a school for the Democratic Party. My Rush Limbaugh listening father would have turned me off right then and there. I also began telling him about the opposite end of the spectrum and my visit to the Maharishi School.

“Well, Mike was in an open classroom at one point.”

If I could have fallen out of the car, I would have. What was this? My conservative parents put my eldest brother in an open school?!

“Yes, he was in 2nd or 3rd grade, I can’t quite remember. We had to pull him out because he didn’t do very well. It takes a special kid to be self disciplined. Most kids need structure. At least Mike did.”

Regardless of the fact that my dad was missing the point of the open classroom where the belief is that the kids will indeed direct themselves to learn what is needed after a time of detoxing from the public system, I was encouraged that the person that was the least likely to be open to progressive ideas or understand why I was doing this journey at all had actually been receptive to open classrooms! Slap my hand!

“I know other countries are so much more advanced than we are like Japan, and India and China.” Dad continued. “They churn out the engineers and scientists and I guess I don’t know, I’m just assuming here, but I think they are educated in a very structured environment.”

“Well, unfortunately I won’t get to include that. My original goal was for the book to be global, but when this really started happening, I realized that was impossible given my mommy and financial status. So, I’m sticking to this country for now. Maybe my future publisher will fund a sequel,” I joked.

“Who has your kids?”

“Steve and Mom split it up.”

“How can he take off work with a new job?”

“He only takes off 1 day a month. Most of the time I fly out on a Sunday, see a school Monday and then fly back that same night. They’re very short trips. Mom generously fills in when the trips are longer.”

Now I was on the mommy defense side. I wondered if people would think that I was shirking my responsibility as a mother by going on this journey, despite the fact that I was going on this journey in essence for them. I came to piece with myself when I was frank enough to realize that I end up spending four to six days away from home out of a 30 day month. This is what working parents spend away from their kids in just a weeks time minus the couple of hours they see their children before the chaos of bedtime begins.

I’ve stayed at home with my children for 3 1/2 years at this point and plan on doing so until I feel there is an educational system I can believe in in my area and when my kids are socially ready to leave the dependency of the nest, a very important aspect to their development. I guess I could be signing on for tenure here seeing as I am considering everything, even full time homeschooling. Regardless, I think 4-6 days per month out a nine month period is acceptable. And with Skype we have lots of fun every day talking and playing over cyberland.

“So aren’t there books out there already like this?”

“AHA! No!” I was excited now. “When I searched, I found only two - TWO - books that were a collection of information
about all the alternative educational theories out there. No one has ever done one narratively like I am where they visit actual schools and tell a story. This is my journey so it’s not just a dry informational book, well, I hope it won’t be. I even want the chapters to be short enough so that tired parents can get in 4 pages before bed. I just want to reach more people.”

“Sounds like you’re writing a book for the bathroom!”

I had to laugh. My dad is funny. Ask anyone.

“Yeah! Maybe I should call it The Bathroom Educational Reader.” I joked back.

“Or how about The Throne Book?”

“Good one, Dad.”