Home Schooling Thoughts from Holt

An excerpt from “Teach Your Own” by John Holt, the educator who promoted freedom for children to learn naturally and coined the term “unschooling”.
 
“I have used the words “homeschooling” to describe the process by which children grow and learn in the world without going, or going very much, to schools, because those words are familiar and quickly understood. But in one very important sense they are misleading. What is most important and valuable about the home as a base for children’s growth into the world is not that it is a better school than the schools but that it isn’t a school at all. It is not an artificial place, set up to make “learning” happen and in which nothing except “learning” ever happens. It is a natural, organic, central, fundamental human institution, one might easily and rightly say the foundation of all other institutions. We can imagine and indeed we have had human societies without schools, without factories, without libraries, museums, hospitals, roads, legislatures, courts, or any of the institutions which seem so indispensable and permanent a part of modern life. We might someday even choose, or be obliged, to live once again without some or all of these. But we cannot even imagine a society without homes, even if these should be no more than tents, or mud huts, or holes in the ground. What I am trying to say, in short, is that our chief educational problem is not to find a way to make homes more like schools. If anything, it is to make schools less like schools.”

As you establish your philosophy and guidelines for the school year ahead, consider the benefits of home schooling rather than conducting school at home.  There is a tangible difference.  Can you identify them?  Comment welcome!

The Smithsonian Formula

An educational philosophy is important for your home school. If you have a home school philosophy that is specific to your family it helps to keep your goals and strategies in focus. The grandfather of home schooling, Dr. Raymond Moore, recommends that each family have a philosophy written and prepared as the basis of establishing a curriculum for each family that home schools. A successful family philosophy focuses HIGHLY upon the formula that Dr. Moore presents (Smithsonian formula) on creating a genius.

The Smithsonian Institution’s study of twenty world-class geniuses stresses three factors: 

1) warm, loving, educationally responsive parents and other adults; 
2) scant association outside the family, and 
3) a great deal of creative freedom under parental guidance to explore their ideas.

Peer pressure works to tell us that we must socialize our children by having them spend time with other kids. But, studies have shown that the greatest socialization takes place within the family structure and by association with other adults. It is perfectly okay for children to spend all week with their parents, associating with other children only weekly at church. As children reached the upper elementary grades, they frequently start asking for opportunities to spend with other children. At that point, teaming with other friends to start a ‘home school activity group’ that meets semi-monthly and provides structured field trips for a group of local, home school children can be provided. This frequently fills the ‘need’ of children to associate with others their age. Piano and other group lessons can also help meet this need. The structured environment continues to facilitate learning and prevents an opportunity for negative socialization.

A great deal of freedom to explore is important. In order to create creative children, time and resources to work with are essential. So is the ability for mother or father to put up with a mess! A separate space for learning can be helpful in containing materials for this type of exploration. Paper, glue, paste, scissors, computer printers, cameras, film, paint, glitter, etc. and etc. are much more important than coloring books and paint by numbers. A supply of art materials should always been readily available at all times. They are tools that can be utilized for every subject, not just art class.

It’s important to keep priorities in focus. If one chooses to home-educate, then the education of our children must be a priority. This includes their religious education and the development of their intellect and ability to think for themselves. This comes before: canning and freezing food; laundry; a clean house; shopping trips; visiting the neighbor; etc. Of course these other things are important — but the children and their education should come first. Assigning workbook pages for the children so that the parent has time to wash windows or clean the oven does not create a wholesome and productive school environment. Children become bored to tears and homeschooling can become a struggle with this approach. Instead, plan work into the daily routine, so the children work with the parent in establishing a tidy home structure. Make this process a part of learning. Then, continue to develop other kinds of learning events as a family team. Although it is important for a child to learn to work independently, busy work is not the key.


Lessons learned while creating, building, analyzing, and applying concepts are best absorbed and retained by children. A unit study approach that is developed by the parent teacher around the interests of the children being taught is interesting and grasped well by them. It is the role of the teacher parent to create lessons and learning experiences that spark the interest in the children being taught. A bored child does not learn well. It is the parents role to provide experiences that facilitate growth, learning, and interest in any subject. Mastery will result effortlessly if this principle is applied.

Developing an educational philosophy assists the home school family to teach and learn purposefully. Once a philosophy of learning is established, the resources selected to facilitate this learning fall into place. If workbooks do not play a role in promoting your educational philosophy, there is no need to spend money on them! Instead, use your resources to find the tools that promote the philosophy you choose to embrace. Children are a precious natural resource. Thoughtful care should be taken in establishing how we will help them learn.

Developing Your Homeschool Philosophy

Do you have a philosophy of education for your homeschool? Taking time to think about what is important to you in the education of your children provides you and your family with a base for all decisions related to how your children learn and how you teach. Once this has been done, selecting curricula, establishing schedules and routines, and choosing extracurricular activities becomes easier, as your belief system has been well thought out and decisions have been made about what is important to you.
  
For most of us, educating the whole child is of top priority. Helping him or her develop spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally creates a well-adjusted child that has the talents and abilities necessary to succeed in today’s world. Homeschool families in 2011 are given opportunities to choose from a myriad of academic resources. Curriculum companies have been quick to write textbooks and provide resources for the learning needs of homeschooled students. Sometimes it is easy to forget that a child’s education is not one-dimensional, but that academics are only one piece of the puzzle. Spending equal time planning for physical, emotional, and spiritual elements is key in creating a well balanced child. For example, character is developed through work and service to others. Physical wellness is also a result of hard work. And service to others helps the child discover that a happy heart is one that tends to the needs of others as it focuses outward in life.

If you haven’t taken the time to write down your philosophy of home education, why don’t you take a moment to jot down what you really believe about educating your child. What is the foundation of your home school? It is the core of your family system of education.


Photo:  an example of cooperative education, positive socialization, and community service

Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children."  Deuteronomy 6:6-7

These words clearly instruct that God's word should be committed to memory and passed on from generation to generation.  Committing portions of scripture to memory is vital in retaining knowledge of the scriptures.

In Psalm 1 and Joshua 1:8 share that prosperity and success in life come from scripture memorization, as it creates familiarity with God's word and causes the learner to meditate upon the principles of God which promote these things.

Memorization takes discipline, and that can become tedious if not handled with some creative care.  A teacher-mom or dad can help speed along the process of memory work by building fun and interest into the process.   In her book, Building Your Child's Faith,  Alice Chapin outlines some great techniques for accomplishing this.  She recommends:

*Set up contests between adults and kids.  Offer fun prizes.  Draw up a "contract."  For instance, if the kids memorize the verses more quickly than the adults, the adults will take out the trash for a week.  But if the adults memorize them first, the kids will do the supper cleanup for a week.  Be sure to sign the contract to make it official!

*Help little children learn by repetition.  Review while rocking, bathing, and playing with them.  Repeat while driving or waiting in line at the grocery store.

*Post current memory work on the refrigerator, closet door, or kitchen bulletin board.  Or stretch a "clothesline" and clothespin verses for the month to it.

*Have memory charts.  Award stickers, stars, or seals for each learned verse, prizes for every five stickers.

*Purchase a Scripture songbook, and sing Bible verses right into the minds of the family.  Or make your own music for favorite verses.

*Use flannel-graph letters or verse flashcards.  Mix up letters and words, and take turns straightening them out.

*Write the verse on a chalkboard.  Take turns erasing one word at a time.  Repeat the whole verse after each erasure.

*Print different verses on 5x8 cards,  Cut each card into pieces.  Put the pieces for each verse in an envelope.  Pass out the envelopes, and use a timer to see who can put the verse-puzzle together the most quickly.  Have each member read his or her assembled verse.

*Let the leader begin quoting a verse, stopping after every few words to ask another person to add the next four words, or two words, and so on.  Have a stick of gum or a lollipop ready for the first person to identify where the verse is located.

*Let the small children use magic markers to print the verse of the week on sheets of construction paper.  Add stickers or magazine pictures and use for placemats at dinner.  

*Give each youngster an empty photo album with see-through plastic pages.  Insert weekly memory cards for an individual record of verses learned and for easy private review.

*Once in a while assign short Scripture verses to be memorized by the following day.  Celebrate completion of the assignment with a yummy treat.

Cupboard Door Learning

Alice Chapin has written a book filled with creative ways to stimulate interest in Bible study.  She includes many encouraging and practical suggestions for creating a nurturing home environment.  Many of her ideas teach not only Biblical truths, but encompass daily life and learning.  Here's one of her ideas that can help encourage learning on all levels.


"Keep a constant round of new things posted on the cupboard or refrigerator door.  Quotes from the Bible or well-known Christian leaders human interest items, and cartoons all work well.  As long as you keep changing them, your family will keep noticing." 


Great idea!  Post it notes and a marker, magnetized letters used to create words, or letters and words cut out of a magazine and glued onto construction paper to express a thought can provide colorful, attention capturing verses and quotes that will help you to instruct and teach.  Spark an interest by using words posted in strategic places throughout your home.

*Building your Child's Faith by Alice Chapin

Growing Children Naturally

It is natural for parents to want the best for a child.  So many resources are available which can help them grow and develop.  Opportunities range from classes in baby gymnastics, to early childhood music lessons, and instruction in how to teach your baby to read.  Although intentions are good, sometimes efforts to provide the best for a child are counterproductive.  Children grow naturally, and a parent who is in tune with their child and their individual pace and abilities will find a rhythm in instruction that best understands what the child needs.  Pushing too fast or in an unnatural way can cause frustration, stress, and missed developmental opportunities.  Thelma Beem in The Dignity of a Child states that forced growth is seldom beneficial to plant or animal.  Natural development is beautiful at every stage of the process.  Children are no exception to this law of growth.  The book, Education, speaks of this concept as well.  "Children should not be forced into a precocious maturity, but as long as possible should retain the freshness and grace of their early years.  The more quiet and simple the life of a child, the more free from artificial excitement and the more in harmony with nature, the more favorable it is to physical and mental vigor and to spiritual strength."  Children are only children once.  Give time time to savor the precious years of childhood, allowing for learning through life around them.  Through daily work, service to others, walks in nature, innocent play, and lessons by a parent's side, children can experience the full benefit of natural growth.  This natural growth will help them excel in all areas of development.

Prayer for a Homeschool Mother

Lord God Almighty, I commit (homeschool mother) into your care and safekeeping. May your ministering angels watch over her. I place her hand in yours with the confidence that comes from knowing that you will take good care of your property.


You said, Lord, that you would be a wall of fire round about her, and that you will be the glory in the midst of her. Praise your name.


The angel of the Lord encamps around all those who fear you, and you deliver them. Assign a guardian angel to (homeschool mother), Lord, so that no evil will befall her. Protect her from the evil one.


I lift up (homeschool mother) to you and I ask you to watch over her like a mother hen watches over her chicks and a shepherd watches over his sheep. Teach (homeschool mother) that he who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. You are her fortress. May she learn to trust in you implicitly.


Cover her with your feathers so that under your wings she will safely trust. Let your truth become her shield and buckler so that she will not be afraid for the terror by night nor the destructions that wastes at noonday.


Bless (homeschool mother) with a knowledge of your presence, Lord. Let (homeschool mother) know that when she calls upon you, you will answer her. You will be with her in trouble. You will deliver her and honor her. Satisfy her with long life and show her your salvation.


Author unknown

Developing Social Graces

How do children learn social graces?  It is by our example and emphasis of the manners and of that which is thoughtful and appropriate by which our children develop positive social skills. We should model to them kindness, thoughtfulness, tact, forgiveness, generosity, and love which is for others.  It is a parent's responsibility to teach them how to stand tall, listen closely, and to speak graciously.

Live wisely among [others] and make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.  Col 4:5