Major General Stanley and Judy O’Neill

by Malachi Johnson
PHS Press staff member

Math teachers.  They help you solve problems that you would never have without them. 

Judy O’Neill was inspired to teach by watching teachers and learning from them.   O’Neill began her teaching career in 2008 at Planet Homeschool. 

O’Neill started teaching at Planet Homeschool because one of her two daughters started attending. To O’Neill, a typical day at Planet Homeschool is very busy with every thing being set up. Never the less O’Neill very much enjoys teaching algebra and geometry. 

On a more personal note, unlike Major General Stanly, O’Neill has not incorporated the Pythagorean theorem into her parenting style. Because “I don’t think of the Pythagorean theorem and parenting as intertwined. The Pythagorean theorem is really straightforward and clear-cut, where-as parenting has none of those qualities,” she said. 

Meet Tim Hereid

by Bridger Berg 

PHS Press staff member

This is an interview with Tim Hereid, the physics teacher at PHS, for our teacher spotlight stories. Be sure to look out for other stories on other teachers at PHS on the site!

When asked how he found out about PHS, he said that he had just found out about it through internet research, eventually, he got an interview, and the place just seemed like the perfect fit for him. The reason he had wanted to teach at a place like PHS, he said, was that he had always sought an environment where kids were self motivated, interested in learning, and he just likes to teach. He said his initial interest was just a place that had the kinds of science and electronics classes he wanted to teach, that his first idea, the High Altitude balloon class, was a blast to teach, and that he still sees some of those ex-students in his classes today.

High Altitude Class

Q&A With Tim Hereid

Q: How long have you been teaching at PHS?

A: I believe I started in 2012, so about three years.

Q: What is your favorite thing about teaching at PHS?

A: Well, it’s a great community, a very strong community, another great thing is that with homeschool kids, they’re just as comfortable with adults as with kids their age, and that’s just great.

Q: So, you teach physics?

A: Yes, I generally teach middle school physics, which is very project-based, you know, we build catapults and we’re going to build pendulums, just as hands on as it can possibly get with physics. And then I’m teaching a sign-language class, I taught an ethics class, the app class, geography, biology, hoping to teach creative writing,

Q: How would you say PHS differs from other places you’ve taught at?

A:  Other than what I’ve said already, it’s great because both the kids and the adults get a chance to explore a workshop-like environment, the big difference I think is just the love of learning, I mean the kids just really, really like to learn, and it feels more like a collaborative work environment than it does a classroom.

Gerald Benford: Minnesota Swordplay

 by Tyler Skidmore

PHS Press staff member

Gerald Benford, a man of 50, teaches fencing at a homeschool co-op named Planet Homeschool. He has been Fencing since the 1980’s, in highschool and then college.

Benford’s Grandmother sponsored Maria, who was trained in Cuba to Fence. Maria is known as "The Mad Cuban." She and Benford started dating and Maria taught him how to Fence. They got married in the 1990’s.

“ Fencing is one of those few sports where you actually compete one on one. You are testing your skills against another opponent in mock battle.  Its more of an art than a self defensive sport. I like it because you develop long lasting relationships [ / ] friendships by the sword, “ said Benford.

 He encouraged Maria to start a Fencing business, and they eventually started Minnesota Swordplay in 2000. Minnesota Swordplay has locations all over Minnesota and Wisconsin.

They plan on opening a U.S.F.A ( U.S. Fencing Association ) club in Minnetonka. The website is minnesotaswordplay.com.

They were referred to teach at Planet Homeschool as a Fencing instructor.

Benford’s favorite book is the Bible, and his favorite pastime is ministry. Benford majored in business in college.

They have been in Fencing matches on TV and overseas, and plan on traveling all over Europe this summer for fun.

Home school kids learning to use computer modeling

by Solomon Midwinter
PHS Press staff member

Kim Chase-Kozak

Kim Chase-Kozak is a teacher at PHS, and has a class on a modeling program called Blender. 

Blender is a free modeling program, which can be used for many purposes, and can create animations as well as models and images.  As Chase-Kozak said, “Blender is computer software used to create 3d models or drawings.  It can also be used to create animations or games.  It can also work with other programming engines.”

The process that is used to create a model is more or less as follows.  First, you draw or download a picture of what you want to model.  Then you use extrude commands to model over the picture.  Then you can use textures and materials to make it the right color and texture. 

When asked what the most interesting thing anyone in her class has done yet, she replied that one of the students has sent her an animated character over email, which was especially neat because they have not yet covered animations. 

A model done by Chase-Kozak

What they have most recently done in class was talk about different kinds of light.  Before that, they were mostly working on the basics, such as the extrude command, getting the modeling pictures into files, and the blade tool.  Camera placement, texture and animation are more advanced skills covered in the class. 

Chase-Kozak has had some previous experience with teaching.  In college, she was a undergraduate TA, and has a degree in math and computer science from the U of M.

She has been leading and teaching kid related things since her kids were school age.  She has also learned quite a bit teaching this class.   This is her first time teaching a class at PHS, and she would be glad of an opportunity to teach at PHS again.

When asked what her favorite thing about teaching is, she said, “I love it when students start running with their new skills and start creating and trying things I haven't done.” 

Meet PHS teacher Jeanne Bain

By Emily Weinlick

PHS staff member

Planet Homeschool (PHS) teacher Jeanne Bain enjoys teaching lots of things at PHS: Creative Writing, Speak Up, Impromptu, Philosophy. Next spring she will be teaching a Fan Fiction class. Jeanne says she likes to teach classes that get young people “talking to each other about issues and experiences." In Jeanne’s mind the most wonderful gift in the world is to be a part of a teenager’s life. She says that there is so much to learn from them.

Jeanne started teaching in her basement. Jeanne pointed out, “School was my favorite thing to play yet my least favorite to attend.” She started her more advanced teaching around 8 years old by holding a summer camp in her backyard. When she grew into an adult she started coaching speech and teaching theatre classes, after she had left the world of professional theatre. When she was in her twenties she really realized where her heart was… it was with teaching. She likes to make all her classes engaging and energizing because otherwise she and her students will get bored. Jeanne says, “The students at PHS teach other so much, it is through exploration and experience that learning happens so I’m lucky to just stand back and hold space while it unfolds!”

Jeanne started teaching at PHS because Kate Searls asked her if she would be interested in teaching a Creative Writing class. Her son Sam was an amazing writer and had many creative, and intelligent friends that wanted a writing class. They preferred a low-pressure class that focused on the creative process instead of creative product. This was definitely her sort of class! At the time Jeanne was also an instructor at The Loft Literary Center’s summer youth program, so to her teaching writing during a school year sounded terrific!

Jeanne says, “Sadly, I wasn’t homeschooled myself. I went to a traditional school.” Jeanne didn’t even know any homeschoolers while growing up in a small town in southern Minnesota. Jeanne said she had a lot of amazing teachers in her school experience. She had a teacher named Dennis Kalow who taught a class named “What’s Art All About” that made Jeanne the teacher who she is today. And then in her college she had a professor named Philip Morseberger who really made her think about art and life and made a huge impact on her.

Jeanne has two kids. Aidan is a freshman at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. Jeanne homeschooled Aidan for 2 years. Alas, he hated it. Jeanne homeschooled Finn for 1 year. Finn is now in 4th grade at the Cyber Village Academy.

What does she enjoy most about PHS? She said, “How willing the kids and teens are to take risks, jump in and have fun. They aren’t afraid of doing things wrong.”

And finally some personal info on Jeanne! Jeanne became a Doctor Who fan at the urging of Victoria Signorellli and Kathleen Willard. She enjoys sewing yet admits that she isn’t that great at it. She likes cleaning and organizing her house, yet this will make a laugh because her students think that she is the most disorganized teacher that PHS has ever had, she thinks. She owns a three-wheel bike and occasionally rides it. She enjoys family time like most people and going to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on her own to work on her novel. And to wrap this up, Jeanne’s favorite time of year is Fall. She loves the slow descent into the season of hibernation.