HOW TO BECOME A LEARNING FAMILY

Futurologists predict that 65% of today’s Grade 4 learners will eventually hold jobs that don’t yet
exist. So, how do you prepare your child for this changing scenario?

Children need to exercise the inherent abilities of their brains in order to learn new skills, build a better memory and improve processing speed. This change takes time and may sound horribly complicated, but it’s not.

Let me tell you a story.

Abraham Lincoln (Abe) was born in 1809 on the largely unsettled wild frontier of America. He grew up in a one-roomed log cabin without doors or windows, no flooring and little furniture. When he was about seven, a school opened 14km away and his mother Nancy insisted that he attend school (it took him two-and-a-half to three hours to walk each way). This didn’t last long and Abe estimated that his time in school totalled only one year. Nancy was illiterate, but she realised the importance of reading. Even though she had to cope with harsh circumstances and few amenities, by sheer will, she instilled in Abe a love of reading.

Abe’s mother died when he was still young, but fortunately his stepmother continued his education. Though the family had little money for paper, , pencils, or books, his stepmother did what she could to get a few things so Abe could read and write. Abe’s love for reading became well known and neighbours remembered how he would walk for miles to borrow a book or read a book while walking behind a plough. This man grew up to become a great orator and a strong and principled leader that guided America through its darkest time and changed the course of history.
Note that this isn’t about study skills, but rather about learning skills, making them part of your mindset, changing your attitude and becoming a learning family.

So, what’s different about learning families?

• They have inquisitive minds. They never stop asking: ‘Why? How? When?’
• They don’t need additional time to become learning families. They realise that it’s a change in attitude and a way of living that can be practised anywhere, anytime – for example, when on holiday, while having lunch or dinner, when driving in a car, when visiting a museum, etc.
• They experience joy in discovery and understanding and are continuously amazed by the intricacies and complexities of life and the world around them.

Remember, it’s easier to build strong children than repair broken adults and the benefits are huge:

• No more conflict over schoolwork.
• Children are better prepared for future challenges.
• It is fun and fulfilling to share knowledge.
• It is beautiful, amazing and rewarding to experience children discovering their personal intellectual capital and fully applying it.

Learning entails certain skills and a positive attitude. Both skills and attitude take time to develop, which gives homeschooling families a strong advantage: you and your children are often together over a very long period, putting you in the best possible position to teach them these skills and foster a positive attitude. Make it your own, encourage it in your children and it will generalise to your children’s schoolwork.

(Dr Deon van Wyk: Article originally published in SA Homeschooling – Issue 6)