Inspiration:From a homeschooler about paying it forward..

Hello everyone, this came through my NMHomeschoolCommunity yahoo group and I wanted to send it out (with permission of course) because sometimes we all need a little reminder about paying it forward....not just in homeschooling but in life too. We all are human, none of us perfect, only a few have 'enough' money, we all make mistakes but we can also all learn and grow and become stronger for the learning....the important thing is we can all make a difference no matter how busy we are or how little time we have. Look at how strong our community has become already! So pay it forward, teach a class or if that does not float your boat find some way to help, volunteer your time, make snacks, be an organizer, but do something. Too many times I have sat back and watched while a few do the work and the many take advantage (the way of the world I know) but we can make a difference! Here is one of my favorite quotes "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it's the only thing that ever has" Margaret Mead

We may not all be homeschooling or living our lives in the same way and we don't always get along or agree, but we are all members of the same community!

Enjoy and be inspired!-_Tabbi
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Hi, All!

Get's your attention, doesn't it? "Free" isn't a word we see enough
in our community, but that can easily change. :)

Lots of you email me to ask why I teach classes (science club or
writing club) for free, and a few of you generous, sweet moms have
even offered to pay me anyway. I'm not the only one who's teaching
something for free-XXX teaches literature, XXXX organizes the
Around the World Club, and lots of others do too. For everyone who
wants to contribute, I ask them:

PAY IT FORWARD! PLEASE TEACH A CLASS FOR FREE!

Imagine if each of us taught just one class for free every year.
Anything. 4 weeks of dance. 1 week of pottery. 3rd grade math. US
History. High school basketball. French. Or organize a free club:
Chess club. Debate club. Robotics club. Whatever. If every one of us
would just volunteer to teach one class, whether it was 8 weeks long
or just 1-2 days, we would have an awesome choice for the
homeschoolers in this town.

Don't want to teach a group? Setup lunchtime game day at a
bookstore! Organize a dance! Create some free event/opportunity for
homeschoolers. Anything. Just pay it forward.

Don't have time? Need the money? Sorry, but that's not going to fly
high with me!! As many of you know, I'm a single mom with no
extended family. I homeschool and work full-time, and I'm always
broke. And yes, I teach some free class every year. I'm no one
special; All you need to have is a willingness to share your
expertise and some of your time with some other homeschool kids.

When you teach for free, places like community centers and
bookstores open up for you, just ask! You also teach your kids about
giving back and building a community. Don't wait for the world to be
the way you want it to be-open, sharing, caring-take a step to help
make it happen! Find a subject, find a space, make your plans and
post it here. People will come. They will participate and appreciate
and then you can ask them to pay it forward and teach their own free
class.

Just imagine the possibilities!
My 2cents...for free, of course! ;)
-Chris Tucker



One little note from me to those who may be getting upset at this idea
because they are teaching classes for a fee: My suggestion to offer a
free class/opportunity for homeschoolers doesn't mean I'm suggesting
cut off your income if that's how you support yourselves! If your work
is a nurse or a math teacher, if you teach flute or language classes
for money, whatever: Does that mean you don't have a couple of days to
teach a free flintknapping class? Or Photoshop? Or whatever you can
teach? I didn't mean to offend; I merely suggest that if we each
volunteer just one class or opportunity, we will have some truly
awesome options for our kids here.

And thank you for all who already do!!
:) -Chris

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