National Council of Home Educators New Zealand Inc - NCHENZ (www.nchenz. org.nz)
Saturday 17 July - 2.00pm
by Skype linkup across NZ (NOTE - Stacey is in the throes of offering her place as the linkup for Dunedin)
Meet others who share a passion and vision for maintaining and developing a beneficial environment for homeschooling in New Zealand. Numbers have louder voices and it’s not all business!
-----------------------
From Dawn Headley, of NCHENZ;
Although no longer homeschooling, I maintain a solid interest in what happens to the home educating community I joined in 2000 and I'd like to share this with you. Please take time to read it carefully and then take action ...
Last Saturday was quite a biggie in the thought department for me. It was a nutshell of observations and then one question:
Why is it that such a smart, passionate community is content to leave to so few the huge burden of endeavour to maintain and develop its rights?
Are you aware that Sweden has now banned homeschooling; Germany is jailing homeschooling parents; even the UK and Ireland are having their challenges? Don't think for one moment that New Zealand is immune or that such exclusions could never happen here. We have exemption application challenges, lock-outs from various activities and opportunities; and there are major upheavals in place right now regarding access to Qualifications routes and standards. Make it your business to know what they are. You teach your children to be informed and help others, do you? Then practise what you teach and make a stand!
We all know the well-worn phrase "United we stand; divided we fall". But is it practised by NZ home educators? Do you practise it? You'll know the answer. Small contributions from many reap rewards for all. So back to last Saturday when two things struck me:
a) All Blacks v South Africa. Even the strongest and tallest of players needs to be supported and raised up by the others to gain ball possession in a line-out. He can't do that alone. Team effort. Another old chestnut - T-E-A-M - Together Everyone Achieves More. Remember?
b) David Burge's farewell. It was a humbling privilege to attend the awe inspiring, moving, engaging and humorous farewell to David, husband of Tarnya Burge (AHE's and NCHENZ's webmaster and supporter). David gave his life of just 42 years of service to others. His cerebral palsy did not define him; indeed, it appeared to be a blessing as he went on to inspire. As did the family's journey with leukaemia to which he succumbed last Sunday. Tarnya shared their journey, their prayers, their hopes, their challenges, their beliefs, through an incredible blog website. Others could leave messages; many across the world received messages from Tarnya and David. Who was supporting whom here???. And during the whole of this time, what was Tarnya doing? Battening down the hatches? Ignoring community need and the bigger picture? You must be joking. This is one feisty lady! Amongst all of this heartache but hope, she carried
on doing what she has done for years - her various home ed emails; NCHENZ and AHE website maintainenance and development continued, she rises up in practical ways.
I'm not advocating that, given similar circumstances, we would all do the same. I'm pretty sure most of us would not .. The Burges are, indeed, extraordinary people.
I am asking you to consider your contribution outside of your own family and local support group and to get stuck in to the regional and national challenges facing NZ home education. Your families and their children will bear the fruit of the collective effort put in now. Remember - you are currently reaping the rewards of past changemakers and leaders. This is an ongoing story.
So what are you doing personally? Think you can't contribute? All forms of support are needed to achieve the end goals - from basic membership, to a note of encouragement, to attendance at a group discussion once in a while, to enlightening yourself about the issues, to volunteering to help out as and when needed, to committee membership, to leadership ....
What can you do right now? Send an email to confirm that you'll be sparing an hour or so this Saturday 17th to get yourself along to NCHENZ's AGM (see below). There are Skype hookups across the country; the one in Auckland is in Mt Albert. Show your physical support and make the effort to find out what's going on that will affect your family. NCHENZ's small committee is buckling under the strain and I believe is unable to do what it takes to hold our ground without
membership support, both for numbers for credibility and unity and for those small/medium/ larger contributions you know you are capable of making ... if you want to. NCHENZ needs the line-out support!
If not a member or yet to renew, bring along just $5 (that's the 50% discounted price if your local support group's an affiliate (eg, East Auckland) or if you're an AHE member. Individuals and full group members (like AHE) have voting rights; affiliate groups do not.. Forms, etc, can be filled in on the day.
Be proactive. Be supportive. Protect your family. See you there!
Dawn
Saturday 17 July - 2.00pm
by Skype linkup across NZ (NOTE - Stacey is in the throes of offering her place as the linkup for Dunedin)
Meet others who share a passion and vision for maintaining and developing a beneficial environment for homeschooling in New Zealand. Numbers have louder voices and it’s not all business!
-----------------------
From Dawn Headley, of NCHENZ;
Although no longer homeschooling, I maintain a solid interest in what happens to the home educating community I joined in 2000 and I'd like to share this with you. Please take time to read it carefully and then take action ...
Last Saturday was quite a biggie in the thought department for me. It was a nutshell of observations and then one question:
Why is it that such a smart, passionate community is content to leave to so few the huge burden of endeavour to maintain and develop its rights?
Are you aware that Sweden has now banned homeschooling; Germany is jailing homeschooling parents; even the UK and Ireland are having their challenges? Don't think for one moment that New Zealand is immune or that such exclusions could never happen here. We have exemption application challenges, lock-outs from various activities and opportunities; and there are major upheavals in place right now regarding access to Qualifications routes and standards. Make it your business to know what they are. You teach your children to be informed and help others, do you? Then practise what you teach and make a stand!
We all know the well-worn phrase "United we stand; divided we fall". But is it practised by NZ home educators? Do you practise it? You'll know the answer. Small contributions from many reap rewards for all. So back to last Saturday when two things struck me:
a) All Blacks v South Africa. Even the strongest and tallest of players needs to be supported and raised up by the others to gain ball possession in a line-out. He can't do that alone. Team effort. Another old chestnut - T-E-A-M - Together Everyone Achieves More. Remember?
b) David Burge's farewell. It was a humbling privilege to attend the awe inspiring, moving, engaging and humorous farewell to David, husband of Tarnya Burge (AHE's and NCHENZ's webmaster and supporter). David gave his life of just 42 years of service to others. His cerebral palsy did not define him; indeed, it appeared to be a blessing as he went on to inspire. As did the family's journey with leukaemia to which he succumbed last Sunday. Tarnya shared their journey, their prayers, their hopes, their challenges, their beliefs, through an incredible blog website. Others could leave messages; many across the world received messages from Tarnya and David. Who was supporting whom here???. And during the whole of this time, what was Tarnya doing? Battening down the hatches? Ignoring community need and the bigger picture? You must be joking. This is one feisty lady! Amongst all of this heartache but hope, she carried
on doing what she has done for years - her various home ed emails; NCHENZ and AHE website maintainenance and development continued, she rises up in practical ways.
I'm not advocating that, given similar circumstances, we would all do the same. I'm pretty sure most of us would not .. The Burges are, indeed, extraordinary people.
I am asking you to consider your contribution outside of your own family and local support group and to get stuck in to the regional and national challenges facing NZ home education. Your families and their children will bear the fruit of the collective effort put in now. Remember - you are currently reaping the rewards of past changemakers and leaders. This is an ongoing story.
So what are you doing personally? Think you can't contribute? All forms of support are needed to achieve the end goals - from basic membership, to a note of encouragement, to attendance at a group discussion once in a while, to enlightening yourself about the issues, to volunteering to help out as and when needed, to committee membership, to leadership ....
What can you do right now? Send an email to confirm that you'll be sparing an hour or so this Saturday 17th to get yourself along to NCHENZ's AGM (see below). There are Skype hookups across the country; the one in Auckland is in Mt Albert. Show your physical support and make the effort to find out what's going on that will affect your family. NCHENZ's small committee is buckling under the strain and I believe is unable to do what it takes to hold our ground without
membership support, both for numbers for credibility and unity and for those small/medium/ larger contributions you know you are capable of making ... if you want to. NCHENZ needs the line-out support!
If not a member or yet to renew, bring along just $5 (that's the 50% discounted price if your local support group's an affiliate (eg, East Auckland) or if you're an AHE member. Individuals and full group members (like AHE) have voting rights; affiliate groups do not.. Forms, etc, can be filled in on the day.
Be proactive. Be supportive. Protect your family. See you there!
Dawn
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