Independent Community Freeschool

Proposed Educational Objectives by Subject Area For Elijah Parham’s Home Education Program, 2017-2018 [The affidavit must include] “an outline of proposed education objectives by subject area... The required outline of proposed educational objectives shall not be utilized by the superintendent in determining if the home education program is out of compliance with this section and section 1327.” -- PA Home Education Law The primary educational objective for Elijah Parham’s home education program is to continue to use the resources available in our community to provide a well-rounded education based on Elijah’s interests and abilities. We will continue the approach that has worked well in the past, choosing specific topics as we go, based on interest and academic readiness. Because of the flexibility offered by home education, specific topics listed in these objectives are only examples, which can and will be changed based on Elijah’s evolving needs and interests; we will take advan...

Books: Dictionary Thesaurus An assortment of board books & picture books Elijah has read to Hazel Magazines: Game Informer NatGeo Kids Lego Club Ask! Muse Tape Op Web Series/YouTube Channels: Good Mythical Morning (talkshow/pop culture) Loading Ready Run (comedy skits & improv) Friday Nights (Magic The Gathering) Game Theory (gaming commentary) Table Top (live game playing of table top games) Artifexian (world building) Xidnaf (linguistics) Conlang Critic (constructed languages) MinuteEarth (Earth's flora & fauna) Tom Scott (educational travel) Mumbo Jumbo (Minecraft redstone building tutorials) Documentaries: Let's Examine Constructed Languages, by Rakehell Gardener Podcasts: Conlangery (descriptive linguistics in constructed languages)  No Such Thing As A Fish (interesting facts) A1: Sir Harold Evans Gets Righteous About Writing   TED Radio Hour: Spoken and Unspoken   Lexicon Valley (linguistics podcast from Slate) Speculative Grammarian (satirical ...

This year Elijah's main focus was on Linguistics. He spent the vast majority of the year immersed in the world of languages, writing systems, and phonetics. Language Arts: Elijah reads on a regular basis for information and pleasure. He enjoys writing comics, emails, grocery lists, table top game instructions, and notes and plans for game designs. He is adept at finding information via online wikis, Internet and Google searches, encyclopedias, and the library catalogue. He knows how to use a dictionary and thesaurus. This year Elijah focused on linguistics, constructed languages, writing systems, and foreign languages. He was mentored by both armchair and professional linguists via online conversations on the web forum Reddit. Elijah also recently started using Duolingo to learn so German. An excerpt from email Elijah sent discussing pragmatism in the Chinese languages Elijah plays Scrabble & Words With Friends solo and with others. Mathematics: Elijah continue...