Why join SHiNE?
SHiNE members are a friendly group of home-educating families who vary in their homeschooling experiences, styles, philosophies, backgrounds and reasons for home educating their children.
Benefits of Membership...
- A homeschooling support network and a sense of community.
- The SHiNE Members' Forum - an ad-free and topically organized online communication tool. We encourage checking back frequently for field trip / activity updates and interesting information about bargains, books, and great family community events happening around Edmonton. Includes an online calendar.
- The SHiNE Centre - Members are encouraged to book the Centre for their homeschooling program or activity.
- Privileges to borrow books, CDs, cassettes, manipulatives and other items from the well-stocked SHiNE Resource Library.
- What's On, a calendar (on the Members' Forum) of events and activities like:
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- casual get-togethers, field trips, classes, lessons, and special events.
- community activities in and around Edmonton that are of interest to home educating families.
- professional development opportunities and parent support opportunities.
- see sample calendar
- The SHiNE Newsletter, Learning Matters is issued four times per year. It includes:
- ideas, articles, and tips related to home education.
- ongoing columns with web sites, craft ideas, and more.
- an inside peek at a variety of home education methods from the perspective of parents making them work for their families.
- opportunities for kids to 'show their stuff' in a published format.
- updates on education issues in Alberta.
- opportunities for businesses to advertise the valuable products and services they offer home educating families.
- Connection with others in your neighbourhood; see the members' map at the SHiNE Centre.
- Opportunities to attend professional development events.
- Personal development experiences through volunteer opportunities.
- Long term peer group development for your children through:
- Junior Adventurers
- The SHiNEKiDs Forum (adult moderated)
- Jr/Sr High Activities
- Connections with other families to develop possible mentoring opportunities.
SHiNE home-educating families strive to...
Promote the availability of a support network and to create a community of openness, acceptance, and belonging that includes all people interested in home education.
Recognize and respect the strength of our diversity in learning styles, instructional methods, philosophy, choice of resources, religions and political affiliation and family lifestyles.
Facilitate opportunities for a variety of friendly, educational, recreational and social activities for group members and/or their families.
Facilitate opportunities for parent to parent support that may include support group meetings, lectures, panels, retreats, informal gatherings, one to one contact, egroups, newsletters, conferences, etc.
Provide a forum for discussions, lectures and panels on social, educational and other subjects that will include a range of teaching and learning styles, where questions and ideas can be exchanged in a non-threatening environment.
Establish and maintain a reference and resource library.
Respond to the various needs expressed by members and to work together so that all members may meaningfully participate in and contribute to the group.
Liaison with other homeschool support groups and school boards, in order to promote cohesiveness within the homeschool community.
Enhance the profile of homeschooling with businesses, government, and the community at large and promote a recognition of the importance and viability of home education.
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