Spirit fingers and twinkle toes Teenage Pierce student expresses her kinesthetic teachings through ballet and sign language

choice for most parents. It entails more time given from the parent of the child.

Lebowitz’s parents chose to homeschool their older son who is now 18 after meeting other parents involved with a homeschool program and seeing their impressive interaction with the kids.

“I do a lot of the teaching but not everything, in the early days both my kids were in co-ops,” said Jennifer Lebowitz, mother of Talia Lebowitz.

A co-op is a situation in which several homeschooling families form a group together and meet to support each other in educating their children. The families work together to teach and pay for activities or outside teachers if necessary.

“We are also part of the Conejo Valley Homeschoolers and they’re a support group basically they’re there for park days, field trips and forming friendships so the kids in our homeschool probably have more social opportunities,” said Jennifer Lebowitz.

In school students have a set curriculum and hours of operation, but in homeschool the hours are more flexible and the students are done when the teaching is done, there’s no homework. This means more time for the kids to socialize and pursue other things.

“This is my 10th year doing ballet,” said Talia Lebowitz who hopes to be a professional dancer.

campus, Talia Lebowitz is younger than most students and the youngest in her classroom.

mother Jennifer Lebowitz.

Talia’s mother audited the first class she took at Pierce making her transition to school a lot easier.

ASL is not only an identity and culture, but for some, a necessity. People who have given their life to the art of dance can attest to much of the same. Talia Lebowitz, 14, implements her kinesthetics from head to toe, rhythmically, formally, and sensationally.

Lebowitz came to Pierce last year after a homeschool education to partake in the ASL course. On

“I had taken an ASL class before and I really liked it and I just wanted the next level and then we saw the ASL classes that Pierce offered,” Talia Lebowitz said. “It’s just fun signing and some of the signs, it sort of describes the object.”

Lebowitz was exposed to ASL in her group meets where parents hired an ASL instructor for the kids who wanted to participate.

“It was a great introduction and great way to have a fun start to ASL, but Talia wanted more,” said Talia’s