Last time we discussed Nature study as perhaps the most obvious of Charlotte Mason’s suggested activities that utilizes many senses, hence appealing more to non-traditional learners. Of course, we are talking about being outside and actually observing nature first hand, rather than studying nature from books alone.  If you missed it, read that post here. Thankfully, Charlotte Mason’s educational methods dovetail with non-traditional learning in many other ways as well!

Train up a Child in the Way HE Should Go…

Many of the public school classrooms that most of us languished in only allowed for the traditional (auditory-sequential) learner to use her gifts. Hear a lecture, read a book, and then write a report on it.  Ho hum.

But if you have homeschooled for a while, you have probably noticed that all of your students do not learn in the same ways and they are not motivated by the same type of assignments. (Is that an understatement, or what?)  As we have mentioned before, as they become older, children begin to exhibit preferences for the way they like to learn.  Some like learning things out loud, perhaps to music, or maybe they like to discuss ideas orally.  There are others who need to read to learn, and are totally distracted by little brother’s humming and toe-tapping. Some think and remember best if information is presented in picture, chart or graph formats. Still others need to move around to maximize their learning.

Pay attention to these details and study your children in order to give them the opportunity to let them do their best work. Give them that opportunity by letting them use as many of their senses as possible, especially until you have identified which one they use the most.  Then maximize it by incorporating it into their assignments regularly.  They will be more engaged and cooperative when assigned work they enjoy and feel good about their ability to do!

Students Benefit by Hands on Learning

Activities that are hands on in nature generally benefit ALL types of learners, but especially those who are more ‘right-brained,’ which includes many non-traditional learners. So by giving your students the opportunity to do more hands on activities, you are maximizing all of your kids’ abilities to learn, but you are especially giving your non-traditional learners the chance to shine.  So continue to use those ‘living books’ in your schooling and have your students orally narrate.  But in addition, make sure students are not just reading and hearing; they also need to be seeing and doing.

For example:

• Have your students work on a project such as hooking a rug or dipping candles while you are reading to them about colonial times.

• Incorporate field trips into your school as often as possible – don’t just read about a farm, go visit one!  Let your students produce a photo essay of the trip instead of a written report.

• Let your children draw pictures while you are reading to them. Let your student narrate afterward, using his pictures.

• Create mini-books/lapbooks, Power-point presentations, or create video “TV commercials”  instead of writing traditional reports.

• Create African costumes and cook authentic African food while reading about Africa.

• Research and plan to have an evening of Olympic Games while reading about Ancient Greece.

Other Narration Ideas

As you know, one of those foundational beliefs of Ms. Mason’s was that information was not truly absorbed until it was reproduced in some way, usually through verbal narration.  But there are many ways to reproduce information.  I would not slight that method, however; especially if your children are younger and just starting out to ‘tell back’ that which they have read or have had read to them.  But as children become older, it is especially helpful for the non-traditional learner to be able to narrate in her own way, using her own natural bents.

• Let your very visual child actually take ‘notes’ in pictures while you are reading or teaching him.

• Allow more ‘hands on’ narration, in addition to the above suggestion, such as producing a dramatization, painting a picture, or creating a poem to ‘narrate’ what has been read.

Picture and Music Study

By their very nature, Picture and Music study appeal to the senses and should not be neglected. Some children are reached by art and/or music in a way that can’t be touched by reading.  Read about picture study here.  Books about period music and artists, as well as CD suggestions are included in every unit of our complete programs.

I’m so thankful that our kids have the opportunity to be taught the way that best suits them, rather than the way that best suits the school system!  If you have non-traditional learners at home, I would love to hear how YOU have incorporated Charlotte Mason’s methodology into your homeschool!   Please consider leaving a comment below.

Gratefully His,

Anyone who reads the paper or hears the news knows that home schooled students have excelled in terms of their public performance in the National Spelling and Geography Bees.  Yet school administrators, teachers and much of the general public seem to persist in feeling that these exemplary students are the exception rather than the rule.  We continue to hear and read* that homeschooling is a poor choice for students in terms of academic excellence and social education.  In order to negate those negative attitudes with up to date research, HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) commissioned Dr. Brian Ray, an imminent home school authority, to do a 2007-2008 study to piggyback upon prior results of 1998 research conducted by University of Maryland’s Dr. Lawrence Rudner.

And the results?  Surprise!!  Now that the homeschool movement has about 25 years of research behind it, home schooled students still consistently outperform public schooled students! What is especially fascinating is that factors such as the level of education of the parents, the amount of money spent annually on students’ education, the amount of government regulation of homeschooling and whether or not either parent were previously certified teachers did not significantly influence students’ performance on the three indicators used to assess students’ prowess: the Stanford Achievement Test, The Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the California Achievement Test.

Fascinatingly, the research also suggests that homeschooling narrows the gaps between the rich and the poor, between male and female students and from those with white and blue color backgrounds – something our public educational system just hasn’t been able to effectively accomplish.

So there you have it!  It works!  And at a minute fraction of the cost of public school.

Now I know I am preaching to the choir here, but if you are considering homeschooling or new to homeschooling, I want you to hear what I am saying:

You can do this.

Yes, there is a learning curve, and yes, you will feel more on top of things the longer you homeschool.  Look for help and support in a group of like-minded people and realize you will. never. learn. it. all. and that is OK! So be encouraged -  if you are worried that you are ruining your kids, you probably aren’t. LOL  Even if you always feel behind, compare your homeschool to others’ and always feel you are lacking, or are more unorganized than you would like, it appears that you have a pretty good chance of not only meeting, but perhaps even vastly exceeding the public school system.  Even if you are just an amateur.*

With hope in Him,

For more encouragement, please read this.

To read the complete study referred to above, read here.

To read the HSLDA article about the study, read here.