2014 looks like...

I have six big plans for 2014. Links are above.

Australia (three events) in March, a visit with Schuyler and her family, and meeting unschoolers I've known on discussions for years.

Texas in April, with my oldest, Kirby and maybe his roomie/partner/girlfriend will get to meet unschoolers and hear more about it; he's hoping.

May/early June, Rochester Minnesota with Alex Polikowsky, and Pam Laricchia will be there.

End of July, early August, the HSC conference in a new city. After years of Sacramento, the converence is moving to Santa Clara, in the soutern Bay area, silicon valley.

In September, Keith and I are going to spend a week and a half in Maine with Laurie Wolfrun, and there will be several activities related to that, including a side trip to New Hamshire for a potluck and discussion.

In December, Keith and I will host another Albuquerque Always Learning Live event at the same wonderful Radisson hotel at I-40 and Eubank in Albuquerque. 2014's theme is "Top of the Mountain."

This makes it a busy year. I hope to be home most of the summer to work on my yard, and to keep up my website, discussions, and Just Add Light and Stir, my favorite project.

SUPPORTING WITHOUT ATTENDING For those who can't attend any of these 2014 events, but who are glad for the advances in unschooling that such gatherings invariably bring to families even beyond those who attend, financial assistance would be accepted! Either register for an event even if you don't think you'll make it, or perhaps donate to my PayPal account, where site fees, transportation, name tags and printing are handled. If PayPal spooks you, my address is Sandra Dodd 2905 Tahiti Ct. NE Albuquerque NM 87112                       And I LOVE Christmas cards!!

Minnesota May 29-June1, Registration open!

http://minnesotaallive2014.blogspot.com/
TaDaa!

If that's the only one you're interested in, you can subscribe there!

Three events firmed up

The immediately upcoming event is October 25-27 in Orange County, in southern California. *

Three events have been added with details to my schedule for 2014:

Texas, April 11-15 (It's near Austin; Kirby Dodd will be there with me, and speaking.)
YOGI BEAR’S HILL COUNTRY JELLYSTONE PARK, Canyon Lake Texas, between San Antonio and Austin

Minnesota ALLive, May 29-June 1 (with Pam Laricchia and Alex Polikowsky, too)
The Kahler Grand Hotel, Rochester, Minnesota

California—HSC Adventures in Homeschooling July 31-August 3
Hyatt Regency, Santa Clara, CA

Also things previously confirmed: Australia in March, Maine in September (with half a day in New Hampshire), and Albuquerque at the very end of December!

Details are linked above (if you're reading at the blog). If you're reading in e-mail, click here and see the tabs at the top of the page: http://speakingsandradodd.blogspot.com

Southern California, October 25+ (not New Mexico this year)

HSC's Unschooling Symposium,  October 25-27

http://www.hsc.org/hsc-unschooling-symposium.html


In two weeks (Septembers 27), hotel costs should go back to full rate, so if you're thinking of attending, reserve a room while you ponder.

This one is unlike anything before.  (Well, a little like the Albuquerque ALLive events, but in California!  With nicer rooms!)

Oct 25-27, California

NEW EVENT! HSC Unschooling Symposium in southern California, October 25-27

"The number of attendees is limited to approximately 70 people - enough for lively discussion, but few enough to allow each person to fully participate to the extent they desire." Because this is limited, register soon!

Speakers' bios aren't all in yet, perhaps, but in addition to myself, there will be Pam Sorooshian, Joanna Murphy, Roya Dedeaux and Rose Sorooshian.

HOTEL: The reservation cutoff date is Friday, September 27, 2013. Any reservations made past the cutoff date cannot be guaranteed but will be accepted based on availability.

TRANSPORTATION:  If you're thinking of flying, it's best to go to Long Beach or Orange County, if you can.

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Between Christmas and New Year's there will be another Always Learning LIVE Symposium in Albuquerque, similar to last year's, with more group participation and a trip to the top of the mountain for anyone interested.

Registration will open in in a few weeks. 2014 instead

Back from Europe, back in New Mexico

I'm back home. Every presentation this summer was very nice—every gathering was full of happy people who really wanted to know more. There was good food, many sweet children, and enough smiles to gather up and spread around later.

I'll add some photos here if I remember, but THANK YOU to those who helped make all those events possible. Marta and Bruno Pires, Ester and Samuel Siroky, Rippy and Graham Dusseldorp, and Julie and James Daniel.

Vague news and tired re-cap

I'm Very Tired; the Leiden symposium is over. It was well attended, 45 adults from six countries (seven, counting me and Joyce from the U.S., and there were a few Americans who are resident in Europe, and Rippy is Canadian, so that could make eight...) People came from all over The Netherlands, from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Luxemburg and Spain.

Here's how big the meeting room was, at a lull, with many kids in the gymnasium or outside, and parents not all gathered yet.

A week ago, we were in the Yarrow Valley. The person who was supposed to open the church hall for us in Selkirk didn't show up. It was cold but not raining. We finally gave up and caravanned in five cars to Ester's house, where we sat around the kitchen table very happily. I forgot to mention I had books, or to bring them out, but otherwise it was really nice.   (Photos by Ester Siroky:)


Lisbon was a great success, but I wasn't as tired as I am (still) from Leiden's. :-) Maybe because the Lisbon event was our first weekend of the European adventure.

That is Marta and Joyce, taken by me while I was sitting in front of a photo of me, Alex Polikowsky and Jill (from the ALL in Minneapolis in early May).

Here are some photos of the speakers, by Antonio Souto (shared by permission):

Still to come: Julie Daniel's LTTL (LiTTLe is easier to say and remember, for me) conference:http://www.lttl.org.uk

The News:

I'll be speaking in southern California in late October 2013, in New Mexico in late December 2013. (Australia, Maine and New Hampshire in 2014 have already been mentioned and noted in tabs above.)

Past and Future

Tonight Keith and I were talking about what to save and why. When I was moving out of my parents' house to go to college, I gave away an autographed photo of Leonard Nimoy dressed as Spock, holding the Enterprise, but I saved a letter from a then-less-famous David Bowie. Keith asked "Why save anything?" It was rhetorical, and I don't know the answer.



I used to file my speakers' badge from each conference with the program or schedule from that conference. Traditions change, and not all conferences have printed booklets anymore, and I've gotten behind, so it's turning into a tangled pile of badges. I save them because the memories are good. I always learn at conferences. I learn about human nature and organization. I learn about the speakers and what people like and don't like, and that there's nothing everyone likes equally. I learn what I can do better the next time, and I learn more about what I believe.

I thought I would wind down and start staying home, but it's not time yet. In the past week or so, new plans are bubbling up. I might speak in southern California this fall, and northern California next Spring (both new projects), and the dates are set for Maine and New Hampshire (though I haven't updated that page yet). Joyce and I will go to Australia in March 2014 and part of April. This December I have the hotel contracted again in Albuquerque, but am hesitant to announce it because of nebulous other plans, but we CAN do something in Albuquerque, and several people have already expressed keen interest.

Thanks to those involved in past gatherings, and those who will come in the future, and thank you for helping to help others who are learning be more thoughtful, peaceful parents of children who are always learning.

SCOTLAND! Site, date, times

June 24 (a Monday) in Selkirk (in the Borderlands, south of Edinburgh, east of The Yarrow Valley where we'll be staying)

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The event fee is twofold: Food and a donation. Some money for the building, and fingerfood for a shared monkeyplatter lunch!

MORE INFORMATION and a map.

2013 plans

Joyce Fetteroll and I will be in Europe from late May to late July, and then in Australia from late September into October THEIR Autumn, our Spring, March/April 2014! for a few weeks. Details will be posted here as they're known!

The schedules for three gatherings are up: Lisbon, Portugal
Simpósio "Sandra Dodd e amigos em Lisboa" June 1-2, 2013

Leiden, The Netherlands
Altijd Leren Live, in Leiden, June 29

Ashford, Surrey, UK
Julie Daniel's LiTTLe Conference July 13-14 west of London

Scotland: There will be something less formal in Scotland in June, and I will post here soon.

Australian plans are forming up.

India has been cancelled because of good changes happening in a couple of my host families (a new baby in one, and a job change/possible country move in another).

Next stop: Minneapolis

I'll be speaking in Minneapolis the first weekend of May, 2013, with Jill Parmer and Alex Polikowsky. More information is *here*, and as of this writing, seven families are already committed to attending. There's a water park at the hotel.