What in the world is Grace Week? Grace Week is an awesome strategy to help my kids love learning and grow leadership skills at the same time.
How did Grace Week look in our homeschool?
The first three weeks of the month were mom-chosen activities.
The last week of the month was child-directed.
Each child chose a subject to study or a project to complete. They spent their days working on their own chosen activity. Additionally, we chose an area of weakness in their school subjects. Every day that week my children worked on their area of weakness & their chosen topic. It might be learning their multiplication facts, identifying adjectives or something similar.
So, your child had two areas of study for the week – one academic weakness and one chosen topic. At the end of the week, we had a special dinner. After dinner, each child made a presentation of their chosen study.
As a result of following this plan, you provide opportunities to think critically and make wise decisions in their projects. A similar growth plan is discussed in Raising Leaders, Not Followers.
- Set aside time for your child’s topic of interest and academic weakness.
- File quickly what the child learns.
- Apply what was learned by creating a presentation.
- Make the presentation at the end of the week.
While Ashley made a life-size teepee, Gentry made a gyroscope & Hunter studied basketball.
If you’re having a hard time breaking away from structured curriculum, Grace Week is an easy place to start. Continue doing what you already do, except the last week of each month. Gradually you will hop off the curriculum conveyor belt.
Once your kids have a topic, study it together if you have younger kids or independently with older students. Do you want to inspire your child to love learning? Study with your kids … make it a group activity.
Maybe you have 6 children, you’re probably thinking, “Great, I can’t do 6 different topics at one time.”
No you can’t, so make a deal with your children.
Tell them you will take turns studying each child’s areas of interest…together. As they get older, they can be more independent and study their own areas of interest. Even large families can inspire a love of learning.
How to Help Your Kids Love Learning
After your children choose a topic, start planning a variety of activities which may include reading, listening & hands-on. When you are interested and excited about their topics, your children will get more excited. You are on the path to inspiring. I know it takes some effort, but it’s well worth it when your kids love learning.
Go to the library and find all the books you can. Make them age-appropriate for each of your children. If you have younger children, you can read aloud and discuss as you read. As your children get older, each child will read, write and discuss the given topic. Students should keep a daily reading journal or copybook from their own readings.
Go to the library and find all the books you can. Make them age-appropriate for each of your children. If you have younger children, you can read aloud and discuss as you read. As your children get older, each child will read, write and discuss the given topic. Students should keep a daily reading journal or copybook from their own readings.
Go to the library and find all the books you can. Make them age-appropriate for each of your children. If you have younger children, you can read aloud and discuss as you read. As your children get older, each child will read, write and discuss the given topic. Students should keep a daily reading journal or copybook from their own readings.
Go to the library and find all the books you can. Make them age-appropriate for each of your children. If you have younger children, you can read aloud and discuss as you read. As your children get older, each child will read, write and discuss the given topic. Students should keep a daily reading journal or copybook from their own readings.
Go to the library and find all the books you can. Make them age-appropriate for each of your children. If you have younger children, you can read aloud and discuss as you read. As your children get older, each child will read, write and discuss the given topic. Students should keep a daily reading journal or copybook from their own readings. One of the best ways our family encouraged a love of learning was to start our day with read aloud books.
Most of all, I encourage at least one hands-on activity for each child. You know…the kind they can share at the end of the week. Consider science experiments, demonstrations, craft, poetry, play-writing … whatever inspires your child.
Kids become excited to present it to Dad. That’s more leadership skills: learning how to give a presentation, learning how to speak in public, learning how to speak up and not stare at the ground when you’re speaking.
Your homeschool becomes a lifestyle of learning because the whole family is involved in learning. And above all, learning becomes fun!
To help you get organized, I have a 3-part video course, called How to Simplify Your Homeschool. Although I could charge for this course, I’m giving it to you completely free. Just enter your name & email below.
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.Question: What topic might your children choose for their first Grace Week? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
You can discover over 12 more strategies to encourage love for learning in Raising Leaders, Not Followers.
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3 Comments
This is an excellent and creative way to reduce “burn-out” because this provides more ownership to self-directed learning.
Thanks
Noel,
You are so welcome. I agree about reducing burn-out. Personally, I believe burn out increases when moms try to have 5 different lesson plans for each child. It’s crazy and counter-productive
Wow! What an awesome idea!! I’ve been so focused on staying on task with our curriculum, that I was afraid to even think about any other activity! lol. I really needed to read this. We’ll Definitely be having a grace week with our 6 children! Thanks so much for the lovely idea and encouragement!