Two Important Ideas
I’ve noticed two strains of homeschooling advice that I want to bust as worthless.
- That learning is hard. It requires a systematic approach. Because the subjects are hard, buckle down with a program and get it done.
- That learning is natural. Stop all systems. Go with the currents of a child’s interests and let those teach a child everything he or she needs to know. Get out of the way.
It took me about 20 years to admit two important ideas.
- It takes effort to get good at anything.
- You only put in effort if you see a benefit to yourself.
The first concept is why some parents get exasperated and focus on “getting done.” The second concept is why other parents cross their fingers that Tinker Toys will teach trigonometry.
Let’s change the conversation around learning.
- We should be discussing ideas for how to provoke interest in a topic that seems dull.
- We should talk about how to build stamina to keep trying when a child loses heart.
We should be free from proving our membership in a particular philosophy of education (where we prioritize how we appear to adults rather than how our children experience learning).
Want to learn more? Dive into all the free content available on the Brave Writer website (some are listed in the blog’s sidebar).
And for individual hand-holding, join me in the Homeschool Alliance where we address these kinds of issues each month in our Brave Learner Book Club.
