I’ve been asked: “If you had to boil it down to a Top Ten List, what would you say every child should have studied before they leave home?”
I accepted the challenge and compiled a list that will help you pull back from the panic of trying to teach every single classical work of literature while covering the entire scope of Western Civilization from the dawn of time until present, as you consider each scientific breakthrough, three languages (one dead), and all composition formats.
Stop the madness! It’s possible to have a sense of satisfaction and completion even if you leave a few dangling metaphors and several centuries of war and peace un-explored.
The list:
Share the joy of reading with your kids.
Help them be critical thinkers.
Teach them math and science (and history!)
Nurture their writing skills.
Introduce them to a foreign language.
Give them the opportunity to chase at least one affinity.
Make sure they encounter different people and places.
Encourage them to perform in some way for an audience.
Help them find friends.
Most importantly, be their advocate.
Watch the broadcast below to learn more and see that the Top Ten are within your reach!
In the recorded broadcast below we talk about learning differences, and I hope that our family’s journey gives you some food for thought.
I know how much it helps me to read other parents’ stories. In our case, I want to say: go with your gut. You are your child’s parent. If you suspect that there is something to look at, try out different learning contexts to discover it. And never feel badly about tailoring your child’s learning to his or her needs.
Walk down memory lane with me and see how we practiced the Brave Writer Lifestyle in my home!
My best memories are from all the times I went off-script in home education. I followed the rabbit trails, I followed my children’s leads, and I stayed alert to great ideas from unconventional sources. I used Family Fun magazine, for instance, as a resource for educational ideas far more frequently than any traditional curriculum. Immersive experiences created the kind of education I always wanted my children to have.
In the broadcast below, I share how I did what I did with my kids and I even showcase some of their writing!
Brave Writer is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees (at no extra cost to you) by advertising and linking to amazon.com
