One of my favorite things about homeschooling is we get a front row seat to watch what sparks inspiration in our children.
We then get the privilege to fan that spark into a flame by giving them the tools they need to explore it to the full. This is what I call Delight Directed Discovery!
I love the quote by Yeats; “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Teaching our children at home is about inspiring a love of learning, not just packing them full of information. Take note of what activities, ideas, books, concepts or experiences create delight in your children. You will quickly see trends! Then, as you connect those dots they will likely lead you on a path toward unlocking and unwrapping the passions and purpose God has created your kids for.
This week I got to see this happen in our home.
My son built a new car with his K’nex and for the first time added a small electric motor. He was so excited and inspired! So, the next day I looked up a few YouTube videos about propulsion, how transmissions work, and different ways vehicles can be powered. I then simply gave him the challenge to increase the speed of the vehicle.
He experimented and found that one quick fix was adding fresh batteries! He then moved it to a different surface where it could get much better traction. Again the delight! And I simply tracked the activity and his discoveries in Homeschool Manager, under his Science/STEM subject and gave him credit where it was due!
I challenge you, set a timer for just 2 minutes and write down just four things
(sparks) that delight each of your children or that they’re passionate about! Next, find a way to prioritize those things! (I made you a pretty printable to use!) Incorporate them into your “school” assignments, or simply relate things back to them. Learning will be more meaningful to your kids, and more fun! We often forget that a way of communicating love to someone is showing them that we value what they value.
Have a great day, and happy homeschooling!
(Side note: I was inspired to write this after being asked to join in a blog series; ABC’s of Why We Homeschool, I started with the paragraph and it just kept spilling out. It’s a great series to follow! It’s over at The Frugal Homeschooling Mom. Enjoy!)
Here’s the printable:
