The Family Farm: An Independent Learning Classroom of Highest Quality

Farms, 4-H and FFA are as American as apple pie, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.  Children on farms learn independence, get healthy physical exercise and learn how plants and animals grow.  Unfortunately, the federal government is now targeting grandparents and others who let their young relatives work on farms.  Read about this outrage, then determine to be more vigilant than ever about your freedom.  Powerful people want to control your lives in the name of "safety" and "education."  Don't let them!

Your rights as an independent learner and a free human being are worth preserving and defending.

Fierce Beauty: Recommended Reading for Women

In a world where advertisers are encouraging girls to aspire to be Disney Princesses and supermodels, Kim Meeder steps in with a reality check for Christian women.  In Fierce Beauty she paints a picture of a woman, surrounded by enemies who would destroy her, facing a choice:  the crown of a princess or the sword of a warrior.  When she takes up the sword instead of the crown, she finds that the warrior is more beautiful than the princess—fiercely beautiful.

Meeder presents this material in three sections: The Problem, The King and The Warrior.  Each concept is illustrated by compelling stories from Meeder's adventurous life.  Tragically orphaned at a young age, she found that Jesus was able to bring her through adversity. 

Many of the stories come from her work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, a place where she and her husband rescue abused horses and work with troubled children.  You will be touched by the story of the horse that suffered unspeakable physical pain, yet survived to be a witness of hope to children who ride him.  You will weep over the beautiful girl who gave her best, was tried by fire and received her gift back again.  Learn how the smile of one girl saved the life of a teen was minutes away from walking out of school and committing suicide.

There are many ugly things that happened to the people and animals in these stories. God took what was meant for evil and made good things happen, again and again.  In each story, Meeder gives us a picture of how we behave and how God reacts.  She encourages us to put aside the crown we believe is so beautiful, take up the sword to fight for truth and encourage others, and look forward to the day we receive an incorruptible crown.

This book includes discussion questions for each of the three sections and would be a suitable study for a women's group or for high school girls.  Because some of the stories involve violence and cruelty to animals, I would not recommend it for younger girls unless they are studying with their mothers or guardians.

You can buy this book from Lifeway.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Independent Learning through Smart Internet Searching

I have written three lesson plans for teaching students (or yourself) to do internet research that goes beyond the first page of Google results.  Homeschoolers and other teachers can feel free to use them.

1981 Flashback

Read my 1981 high school graduation speech to see what the hopes and concerns of graduates were back then.  The article includes some fun eighties links to news, music and timelines.

No Boredom Allowed!

Here are a few ideas if your kids are "bored" over the Christmas break:

Find History in Greensboro, NC

Make Finger Puppets

Watch a great science movie

Practice drawing in a sketchbook

How to Keep Learning Every Day

Most people equate "education" with "school," i.e. a brick edifice filled with teachers dispensing knowledge. A true education, however, consists of acquiring what Dorothy Sayers called the "tools of learning" and then using those tools for the rest of one's life as an independent learner. Thus a true education is a lifetime of learning through reading, networking, and experience.

Learn by Reading
First, read! As a lifelong learner, I have always been a voracious reader. When I want to know something new, I seek out a variety of print and internet resources in order to engage in what Mortimer Adler called "syntopical reading" or the wise use of many books to serve one's purpose. Without sitting in a classroom, I have learned about historical costuming, the history of housework in America, how to teach reading to children with different learning styles, and how to compare various strategies for dealing with depression. I enjoy searching for old, obscure resources and utilizing the latest in technology. All the while, of course, I am separating the wheat from the chaff, as not all information is equally credible!

Learn through Networking
Network! I have a reputation as a "go to" person among my friends. I was one of the first in my circle to home school, so I became the person who helped others find curriculum and do annual standardized testing. When I discovered food co-ops and bulk cooking techniques, I shared those resources with my friends. When a friend has a problem, my first impulse is to find a person or resource that will be useful to them. I gain tremendous pleasure from seeing people learning new things because I helped them with the information they needed. As I help my friends, I meet new friends and all of us teach each other. Teach a friend to bake and they may teach you about investing or woodworking or even potty training.

Learn by Doing
Do it! For topics like knitting, foreign language, or sports, this active learning method can and should be used. I believe I enjoy learning more than many people because I am not afraid to jump in and try things; in other words, I am not afraid to look like an idiot on the way to learning a new skill. I have knitted ugly hats, said embarrassing things in foreign languages, and baked horrible bread, but those experiences helped me become a proficient knitter and a better linguist (who still bakes horrible bread.) Obviously, this trial and error method will not be practical if you are studying nuclear weapons or contagious diseases.

Reading or networking without a formal classroom is still education. Formal classrooms, if they do not facilitate reading, networking, or practical application, may be an expensive waste. Start today by deciding on something you always wanted to learn, finding a pile of reading material, and seeking people who know what you want to know.

Sources:
1. Sayers, Dorothy, "The Lost Tools of Learning," 1947 essay
2. Adler, Mortimer, How to Read a Book, 1940, chapter 20

Separation of School and State

Here is a challenge to anyone willing to take it up:  What if we kept government out of education with as much energy as is currently expended keeping religion out of education?  Would children learn to read and compute without a government-certified teacher using a government-adopted textbook during government-mandated hours?  I personally know they could.

Check out the Alliance for the Separation of School and State for an example of people who dare to imagine schools without meddlesome government.