One of the great benefits to homeschooling is the flexibility that you have as a parent. Each family can literally choose the homeschool curriculum or educational experience that best suits their own family values, philosophy, and schedule. Then this approach can be adjusted as the family’s needs may change. Probably one of the most interesting dynamics that we discovered when we first began teaching our children at home was the difference between teaching and learning and how children learn best. The word teaching conjures up and image of someone imparting knowledge to someone else who is then readily absorbing such nuggets of wisdom and take on the world. At first, in all honesty this probably best described our approach. So much to do with so little time. I’ll teach you absorb. Not to diminish the vast reservoir of knowledge that we as parents can readily impart to our kids, but do they learn? We discovered that many were the times that said knowledge was not necessarily readily received by our kids. Genuine learning takes place in children when it is done through discovery. When a child goes through the process of discovery the learning experience immediately becomes part of the world around them and this also makes for much better retention. This is not to say that you would just turn you child lose and say “ok… go learn something.” Rather what you want to take a look at is perhaps seeing yourself less as a ‘teacher’ and more as a …. Well… learning coach or learning agent. Teach you child from a perspective that you are there to get your child excited about learning and learning how to learn. Not just merely imparting to your child one nugget of wisdom after another. Encourage you child to discover. And set up environments where discoveries are possible. Explore with your child as the child learns new thing and explores new avenues to learning. Genuine learning breeds motivation and motivation leads to learning. Think of yourself as your child’s learning and discovery coach, and teaching you child will become much more fruitful. Mary Joyce is a sucessful homeschool parent and primary contributor to http://www.homeschool-curriculum-4u.com
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