Students must be given an opportunity to explore their own passions — for passion and desire are vital components of education. And students should always be encouraged to tap into their own ingenuity. This is the way to awaken or keep alive that love of learning that resides deep within us.
What value do students get from doing homework? According to Kathy Seal, co-author of Motivated Minds: Raising Children to Love Learning, most homework does not advance the education of elementary school children. On the contrary, stuffing a great deal of information into their heads makes it harder to retain the data and can even damage…
His little hand squeezes mine As we venture into the darkness To gaze up at the sliver of a moon And try to count a zillion stars Feeling gone “forever” reappears Awe and wonder for that night When first I counted heavenly Stars with my own dear father By Carlynn McCormick Home education(1) can have…
Believe it or not, using one pronoun over another can actually improve a parent-child relationship. Using I over you is one such example. When Mom tells Joey, “I like it better when your bed is made in the morning,” he knows she is talking about herself. But if Mom says, “You didn’t make your bed…
As a kid, there were times I loathed school. I gave all kinds of explanations for not liking it: “The teacher’s mean.” “The test is stupid.” “The school bus smells.” But I had no idea my complaints were simply symptoms of an educational blunder that has gone on for centuries. Why do kids hate school?…
Play the Writing Game! I know quite a number of budding authors who sweep me away with their creative ideas and imaginings — individuals filled with passion about the books they are writing. I am often surprised, however, to learn nothing or very little is actually put down on paper. Years pass, stories dim and…
There is only one me. There is only one you. The words I say, the words I write belong to me; as do my desires, ambitions and talents, as do my shortcomings and frustrations. Your words, desires, ambitions, talents, shortcomings and frustrations, belong to you. What I do in life; where I go; what I…
In the good old summertime, it is perfect for catching waves along the Coast, splashing in pools when the temperature rises or feeling the burn from biking across country. What pleasures the outdoor brings! Summertime is also the ideal time for study. No, this is not-an attempt to ruin anyone’s summer vacation. You see, almost…
Nice teachers show children that life is a game and that games have freedoms and barriers. They teach strategies for winning “the game of school” by showing their students how to figure things out and by making learning fun. Really nice teachers insist that students have high moral standards, strong personal values and that…
Can you teach your child to think like a genius? Yes, that’s capital Y-E-S. But before we push children into the realm of genius, it would be good to look at what it means to be a genius. Most people equate geniuses with high I.Q but that is the last definition in Webster’s college dictionary.…