Adventures in Self-directed, Lifelong Learning
Slow Homeschooling:Essays About Mindful Homeschooling
This is a small but mighty book. Just 64 pages, it contains a powerful collection of 23 essays that touch upon a range of issues that parents grapple with as they explore the decision about homeschooling, and more issues that arise once they start on their homeschooling journey.
Take a look at the table of contents:
Mobility is a beautiful thing. Physical, social, or intellectual Being able to move, to be fluid, to progress. To change. To choose. To feel the power and joy of moving, reaching, stretching, walking, growing. Last week I lost my physical mobility for a few days after overdoing it with house and yardwork, party prep, high … Read more Self-directed Learner Mid-year Mobility Check
It’s been ten years since Sir ken Robinson gave his inciting Ted Talk, Do Schools Kill Creativity? Since then his books and talks continue to challenge us to transform education— to value varied talents, build creativity, and help people find their element.
Here are some questions and recommendations with quotes from his book Out of Our Minds, Learning to be Creative
“It is often said that education and training are the keys to the future. They are, but a key can be turned in two directions. Turn it one way and you lock resources away, even from those they belong to. Turn it the other way and you release resources and give people back to themselves. To realize our true creative potential—in our organizations, in our schools and in our communities—we need to think differently about ourselves and to act differently towards each other. We must learn to be creative.” —Sir Ken Robinson
How do we support creativity in our kids ?
What do 75 homeschooled teens say about their lives? Sue Patterson lets us hear their voices in her new book Homeschooled Teens: 75 young people speak about their lives without school. Sue created a survey of 30 questions covering many aspects of the life of a homeschooled teen that we parents – and teens- considering … Read more Book Review: Homeschooled Teens by Sue Patterson
Even when you choose to unschool, as a parent you will have moments when you are the teacher. Don’t worry if you don’t have a teaching credential. The critical elements that make a great teacher are often not taught in college, nor are they required to earn a teaching credential.
So, you may be asking yourself these questions:
How can I be the best teacher for my kids?
As a self-directed learner, how do I become my own best teacher?
Close your eyes for a moment and remember the best teacher you ever had. Maybe it was in a Sunday school or summer camp. Think of someone who was a great teacher in your life- not necessarily a classroom teacher. It could be a coach, music teacher, scout leader, professor, parent, neighbor, or mentor. Perhaps it was a friend.
Can you recapture the good feeling of that learning experience? What did you learn? How? What was it about the teacher and how they interacted with you that made it great? How did they make you feel? Jot those down.
How do you go about mentoring self-directed learners? Lori Pickert’s books Project Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners does an excellent job of explaining how we set up our homes and lives for mentoring self-directed learners. And even though it says “Project-Based homeschooling”, you don’t need to be homeschooling to use this book. There are so … Read more Review:Project-Based Homeschooling: Mentoring Self-Directed Learners
This book makes me want to get on a soapbox and shout: read this! I want us to take a look at how we use praise, rewards, power, control and coercion, even inadvertently, on a daily basis. I want us to have the courage to take steps to make changes that will truly help our … Read more Book Review: Punished by Rewards by Alfie Kohn