A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

How can you go beyond the daily grind of lessons to truly enliven your kids’ learning?

In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we go over two methods that you might have already observed pop up naturally in your kids’ lives: rabbit trials and rabbit holes.

• Does your child jump from one topic to another?
• Or is your kid super obsessed with one thing?

Both are great! Your child’s natural curiosity is something to be fed, not fought. Join them!

Show Notes

Rabbit Holes

Is your kid super obsessed with something at the moment? That’s great! Feed their “rabbit hole” deep-dive with as much material and curiosity as you can.

One of Melissa’s daughters got super into Ancient Egypt at one point. She could not get enough of it. So Melissa fed her intellectual fire with historical fiction, maps, music, and movies. Waldorf pedagogy and unit study-based curriculums are based on this kind of in-depth approach to learning.

Rabbit Trails

Does your child jump from one related topic to another? That’s great too! They are making connections between how things work via “rabbit trails.”

Melissa’s kids loved bouncing back and forth between viewing constellations with a telescope and reading about the Greek myths for which they are named. That then led them to exploring Google Sky and classic poetry.

As your kids chase what interests them, you can “plan from behind,” chronicling what they’ve discovered and helping them to put all the pieces together about what they are learning.

Resources

• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
• Check out the Brave Writer Practice Pages
• Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
• Read all Brave Writer class descriptions
• Explore the Brave Writer Book Shop
• Listen to Episode 263: Appreciating Art with Bianca Bosker
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
• Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: @juliebravewriter
• Threads: @juliebravewriter
• Twitter: @bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Connect with Melissa

• Website: melissawiley.com
• Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
• Instagram: @melissawileybooks
• Twitter: @melissawiley

Produced by NOVA

If you feel like an outsider when it comes to art, you aren’t alone. In fact, as Bianca Bosker explains, there’s a whole gatekeeping system built up around art: who you know, how you dress, what words you use, etc. 

Lucky for us, Bianca spent five years finding a way past the gatekeeping!

In her book, Get the Picture, and in today’s Brave Writer podcast episode, Bianca brings back her findings to the rest of us, teaching us how to better seek out and appreciate art.

If you want to find more beauty and meaning in the visual world around you, this episode will help. Bianca’s frank insightfulness is life-giving.

Show Notes

Gatekeeping System

First of all, Bianca points out, the gatekeeping system is real. It’s not just in your head. During the five years she immersed herself in the art scene, she saw the gatekeeping firsthand: the confusing lexicon, hidden galleries, expectations for clothing and hair, and above all, a disdain for enthusiasm.  

Museums

Paradoxically, there is a ton of great artwork that is free for anyone to see via museums. The only problem is that we might not know how to interact with art in a museum. Bianca says that on average a person only spends 4 to 17 seconds on each work of art at a museum, rushing through to see everything in one visit. She advises we slow down. She suggests spending extensive time with a few pieces, taking the time to notice how we feel in their presence.

Daily Life

Art, of course, doesn’t need to be confined to museums. Bianca speaks extensively about the art mindset that we carry with us. By improving our own visual literacy, learning how to “unsee” our visual assumptions, and creating our own art, we can more deeply engage in beauty and meaning. 

Pursue art boldly. Let it jostle you. Encourage your kids to see art as an adventure. If you need a guide, have Bianca’s book in hand.

Resources

• Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
• Bianca’s website and Instagram.
• Find Bianca’s book, “Get the Picture,” in the Brave Writer Book Shop
• Check out the Brave Writer Practice Pages
• Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
• Read all Brave Writer class descriptions
• Check out the Class Schedule for Fall 
• Sign up for Brave Writer 101
• Read Bianca’s other book Cork Dork
• Read Sister Wendy’s Story of Paintings
• Read Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
• Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
• Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684

Connect with Julie

• Instagram: @juliebravewriter
• Threads: @juliebravewriter
• Bluesky: @bravewriter
• Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter

Connect with Melissa

• Website: melissawiley.com
• Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
• Instagram: @melissawileybooks
• Twitter: @melissawiley

Produced by NOVA Media