Most homeschoolers want their child to be educated, so let’s talk about what makes an educated person. Most of us went to public school & that’s the only thing we know about being educated. But if you’re homeschooling, you must see flaws with the public school. I propose that the public schools do not produce educated people. They simply produce followers, worker bees.
Let’s see if you’re homeschool is producing an educated person or a graduate similar to the public schools.
Mortimer Adler wrote the book, How to Read a Book, which is popular in homeschool circles. He studied & taught about education. What does Adler believe about education?
(Education should be) liberal, non-specialized education without electives or vocational classes. Education should serve three purposes: to teach people how to use their leisure time well, to teach people to earn their living ethically, and to teach people to be responsible citizens in a democracy.
Each person has the innate ability to do these three things and should above all prepare people to become lifelong learners.
Education never ends. Age 60 is the earliest that anyone can claim to be truly educated and only then if they had devoted their life to learning.
What’s your first reaction when you read this quote?
Lifelong Learning
There are few concepts in there I really want you to grasp. One of them is this idea of lifelong learner. In my view, an educated person is someone who has the tools to learn and is learning for a lifetime.
It’s very interesting that Adler says a truly educated person doesn’t happen until about the age of 60. I’m not there yet. I bet you are not there yet. But a person that is constantly educating themselves and learning is on the road to become a truly educated person.
How can you motivate your kids to be lifelong learners? Give them 2 things:
When they have those 2 resources, they will be lifelong learners.
Leisure Time
It’s good to note that Adler mentions an educated person knows how to use their leisure time well. They’re not sitting in front of the TV all day long. They know how to earn their living ethically, so there education includes job education and preparing for a job.
Responsible Citizens
Teaching young people to be responsible citizens in a democracy is also required, according to Adler. This includes giving our kids virtue so that they know how to handle themselves in society, being responsible, self-governed individuals.
These are principles that guided my homeschool. As my kids grew up, they received the tools of learning & a love of learning. They enjoyed reading aloud & discussing ideas from living books.
We often had animated discussions at the dinner table to encourage their love of learning. One time, we were a divided family as we discussed whether or not Barry Bonds should keep his home run record. (Yes, we’re a sports family). Steve took one side; Gentry the other. We all “learned” how to support our ideas through the discussion. Who cares if it’s on the topic of sports. Any topic can encourage learning to support your stance.
Just like Steve & me, our kids are always learning. Lifelong learning is imperative to become truly educated. And the best way I know how to raise lifelong learners is to give my kids a love of learning. If you’re looking for ways to create a love of learning, read this post.
What do you think it takes to be an educated person? How do you encourage lifelong learning with your kids?
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.Question: What do you think it takes to be an educated person? How do you encourage lifelong learning with your kids? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
