Teachers live for “lightbulb moments”. We watch excitedly as the foggy clouds of confusion scuttle off, replaced by a bright smile of understanding. “I get it now!” is the reward for our labor. An even deeper prize is to see the joy of learning itself take off in a student’s mind.
Instilling an independent desire to learn in our children can seem like a difficult, rather nebulous task. How do we avoid confusing “love of learning” with “quick, easy, and skipping the hard parts?” Or expecting too much of a young brain?
Providing an atmosphere that enriches a child’s soul and mind is a wonderful part of our role. Structuring learning time in a way that develops growth of their whole person requires commitment, creativity, and the humility to change and grow in our own role as parents and educators.
Renowned 19th century educator Charlotte Mason once said, “Every day, every hour, the parents are either passively or actively forming those habits in their children upon which, more than upon anything else, future character and conduct depend.”
The foundation of all our endeavors begins with this understanding: the hours we have with our children, our students, the young people whose lives intersect with ours, are a precious gift. We have the immense privilege of shaping not only their approach to learning, but also to life itself.
In upcoming newsletters, we’ll look at some practical tools to apply in many learning situations, whether you educate in a traditional classroom of students or at the kitchen table with your own children. While there is no “one size fits all” approach to education, these easy to apply tools are ones that I have found helpful both in a large classroom and in one-on-one learning environments.
I’d love to hear from you! Share a recent lightbulb moment from your student(s), or a favorite teaching tip you’ve used. Comment on this newsletter or hit reply to send me an email.
Until next time,
Leah Deegear
Proverbs 22:6