Mitigating summer learning loss...while still enjoying your summer!

Summer is approaching! And many of us are looking forward to long, unstructured days, trips to the beach and pool, free time to get together with friends, host cookouts, catch-up on that interminable to-do list! In our era when everything is a subject of case studies and research, it is not surprising that the subject of learning loss during summer vacation has been documented thoroughly. Numerous articles have been written regarding this phenomenon and advice has been given, and programs formulated to try to staunch the loss. Doubtless, for students in a classroom setting, the sudden cessation of "formal" learning will have a more profound affect than for those students who study at home. These students have the advantage of living in a setting that encourages learning and exploration. While many homeschooling families take a break from their more structured studies, it is not surprising that they also see the summer as a time to take part in more elective activities that maintain an element of teaching and learning. But how does a parent balance the desire to ensure that your child is still learning and retaining information with the child's desire to have a well-deserved break from school?

Have fun with it! Summer is a wonderful time to relax and enjoy the world around us. Without having to worry about weekly assignments, test-prep, vocabulary lists, and all the other things that fill up an average home schooler's day, you will have more time to read, to do fun backyard science experiments, learn about all the wonderful and mysterious bugs and creepy crawlies one encounters in the backyard or local park. It may be tempting to formalize this, but I think summers are the perfect time for the more structured of us to embrace an "unschooling" approach. Perhaps this is the time to take a field trip to your local state park and let your kids lead the way. Ensure that your children have time to explore and read placards...without the pressure of a report hanging over their heads. Do that science unit study that you didn't have time for during the academic year, but focus on the experiments and literature, letting lab reports take a back seat.

The point is to maintain engagement in learning without the pressure. And, of course, allow lots of time to read. Again, limit the time your children spend online, playing video games, or watching TV. Make regular trips to the library and let your children choose silly books that they would normally not have time to read. And forgo the book reports. Many children discover that they really love reading...when they can do it just for their own pleasure. I loved reading as a child but I remember one particular language arts curriculum that made me absolutely despise the books I was assigned to read. The books themselves were great! It was the minutia of each comprehension question, the endless grammar assignments. I felt as though each chapter was ripped to shreds for the purpose of "learning." While there is a time and place for this grammar exercises and comprehension questions, it is not during summer.

If you are wanting some structure for your summer, sign up for your local library's reading program. I loved taking part as a child. The lists of recommended books helped me discover new authors, and I loved the prizes! We also have lots of recommended books in our "Family Read Aloud" series.

If you're looking for further direction, try our Teaching Character Through Literature study guide. The History of the Horse is a summer time favorite among our customers, as is The History of Classical Music. Our Geography Through Literature is built on the amazing Holling C. Holling stories that are sure to capture your children's attention. And the History of Science combines fun biographies with easy hands-on experiments so your children can explore scientific principles using household items.

I would love to hear how you plan on spending your summer! Do you worry about learning loss? Is schooling more relaxed?

And if you want more inspiration, don't forget to enter our giveaway! One reader will win a copy of Honey for the Child's Heart and For the Children's Sake, both books that will inspire you in creating a learning environment in your home that doesn't end when class does.

Reluctant Readers

The fact that this t-shirt exists makes me sad. 

The entries on this blog have focused on the importance of reading in education. Exposure to literature and the ideas contained therein is essential to the formation of a well-rounded individual. All of that is wonderful, but what if you have students who either dislike reading or have difficulty with it. ADHD, dyslexia, some forms of autism, and many other learning challenges can make reading a struggle. Others are simply not interested. What do you do in such cases? There are several practical ways to encourage and develop a love of reading.

Research backs up what any parent knows: children learn by example. Read in front of your children. Talk with others about the books you are reading. Parents who read for their own pleasure and communicate that experience by talking about the books they're reading are more likely to pique their children's interest.

Make books easily accessible. Begin building a family library. This will reinforce the value you place on reading. Make regular trips to the library so that there are new books in your home for your children to discover.

Make time for reading. Turning off the TV is one of the most important steps one can take in opening up space for reading. Limit time on the computer and playing video games. This may lead to boredom, not such a bad thing, and lead children to discovery reading for their own pleasure.

Read aloud as a family. This is essential. While many children think of reading as "boring" everyone loves a good story. Read aloud some of your childhood favorites. Once children are introduced to the joys of hearing good stories, it is often not long until they are wanting to discover good books for themselves. Reading aloud is also essential for developing good writing skills, even more so than reading silently to oneself!

Follow your children's interests. If your son dislikes reading but loves horses, read Marguerite Henry's lovely stories with him. Encourage your child's overactive imagination by introducing her to the wonderfully fantastical worlds of C. S. Lewis, Tolkien, Francis Hodgson Burnett, and Madeleine L'Engle. Show your children that books are one of the best ways to explore their interests.

Investigate the link between musical education and reading ability.

These are just a few practical suggestions and many people have found success in implementing some or all of these changes. If your child is still struggling, remember that all children develop at different speeds. We know children who took to reading immediately and for others it was slow process that took years. It may also be worth having your child tested for a learning disability. There are many tools and resources now available to help children with these challenges. Families have found help in therapeutic methods, teaching tools, even dietary changes! For a child who struggles with things that come easily to his friends or siblings, diagnosis can be a relief if it is presented in a supportive and encouraging manner.

I would love to hear from parents of reluctant readers! What have you done to encourage reading? How have you been successful? What challenges did you face?

Unstructured Creativity a.k.a. Boredom

Courtesy - Missbrain.com

I have been interested lately in the research on boredom. It seems that our culture is a bit obsessed with eradicating this human condition. People seem to be occupied all the time these days. Smartphones and portable gaming devices have ensured that their owners are never without an entertainment option at their fingertips. As the former owner of a smartphone, I know firsthand how consuming it can be to have the world at your fingertips. This year my husband and I, due to various reasons, gave up our phones. It's been very interesting. No longer can I get lost in email while riding the Metro. I can't play angry birds or instantly have access to the internet if I am wondering about something. It so many ways it has been very freeing and I find myself observing the people around me more, sitting with my thoughts more, and being bored.

 I am a firm believer in the creative potential of boredom. Giving children unstructured time to explore their surroundings and even be bored often leads to the discovery of new interests. If children are given time to be bored and aren't permitted to resort to video games, TV, or internet time, they will pursue other options. I love the story of Caine's arcade that has been making the internet circles lately. This little boy was given lots of free time and he used his imagination to create something wonderful, a cardboard arcade! The video is heartwarming (there are two occurrences of inappropriate language) and shows the great potential of unstructured time and raw resources in the hands of a "bored" child.

Research has also affirmed the fact that boredom is very important for developing creativity and problem solving abilities. Being given time to just think and be helps a person to to develop a self-awareness, and consciousness of the things and people around him.

I am curious as to what you all think about boredom. Do you give your children time to be bored? Do you structure their time? What sorts of resources are available to your children during their play time? Growing up we were surrounded by books, so my default option when bored was to read. Other times by siblings and I played adventure games in the backyard that involved grand plots where we were usually orphans (a la the Boxcar Children) trying to survive on our own. Other play time included building cities of Legos, Playmobiles and wooden blocks. I remember feeling bored as a child but I knew that it was my own problem and I had to find a solution. It sure helped to have three siblings who were usually up for some sort of adventure. As we approach the summer, I would love to hear your ideas for keeping children occupied while allowing them the freedom to explore their own interests and time to just be. Also, what are some of your favorite summer reads? There were books that I read over and over through the long summer hours, books like Caddie Woodlawn, Calico Captive, and the aforementioned Boxcar Children series, the Ralph Moody books, and many others.

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Education as Legacy

My reading lately has been focused on a few different themes: education, restoration, preservation, and legacy. Besides creating a jumble of thoughts in my confused mind, I have been struck with the fact that educators like you are creating, or to be more accurate, carrying on a legacy. Legacy is defined as "something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past." Unfortunately, I believe we had lost a sense of legacy in our educational systems as they become more focused on education as a commodity rather than as something inherently valuable. Colleges have been sued by students who have been unable to find work after graduation and while that may signal a failure on the institution's part it reveals a dynamic shift in the way people view education as worthwhile. 

Wendell Berry, one of my favorite American writers, made the following indictment of American education during a commencement address at Bellarmine University:

"...we are promoting a debased commodity paid for by the people, sanctioned by the government, for the benefit of the corporations. For the most part, its purpose is now defined by the great and the would-be-great 'research universities.' These gigantic institutions, increasingly formed upon the 'industrial model,' no longer make even the pretense of preparing their students for responsible membership in a family, a community, or a polity. They have repudiated their old obligation to pass on to students at least something of their cultural inheritance. The ideal graduate no longer is to have a mind well-equipped to serve others, or to judge competently the purposes for which it may be used." (source here)

This shortsighted view of education will have far-reaching consequences both for the fabric of our society and in how our cultural legacy will either thrive or wither. I find all of this alarming and see elements of it happening around me but today I want to focus on you, the people who are fighting against the commodification of education and preserving a valuable legacy! 

In resisting the cultural onslaught that questions the value of education for its own sake, you are making a bold counter-cultural assertion and stating that some things are inherently valuable, regardless of their perceived market price. Educating through the use of literature and the great books is not the most efficient way to instill facts into the heads of young students but it is the best way to engage young minds and nurture curiosity. Discussing the ideas one finds in those books takes time and energy and is much more difficult than handing a student a worksheet, but it encourages discourse and contemplation. We are surrounded with commentators and pundits raised in educational systems that failed to teach them the value of civil discourse. This results in political stalemates and resentment as well as an increasingly small worldview. By encouraging discussion, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to see situations from various angles, you are preparing your children and students to be responsible members of their families and communities, equipped to serve those around them. An education rich in ideas and discourse allows students to see outside of themselves and gives them a legacy passed down through the generations. It may not be something that the market values, but it is essential for the continuation of a free society and a generous citizenry. So, I just want to encourage you that your work is a legacy and while you may not feel like it in the messiness of the every day chaos of teaching, your actions and choices are key in preserving a heritage that is increasingly endangered. 

Back to the Beginning: OK, now I have a huge pile of books? What should I do with it?

Welcome back to our brief synopsis of BFB history. If you missed the first part, you can read it here. Inspired by the writings of Susan Schaeffer Macaulay and the ideas of Charlotte Mason, Rea set about building a library. As a child I remember boxes of books arriving regularly and I knew this was special. Each box held multiple worlds and ideas and new experiences. We also made regular trips to the library where caring librarians help us find dusty treasures that had been sitting for far too long in forgotten corners. Each time we left the library we all had checked out our limit and with four children, that was lot of books.
As my siblings and I got older our homeschooling adventure naturally shifted from lots of informal reading time to a more structured form. Frustrated by the dreariness that marked so many of the history textbooks available,  Mom began formulating our history and English curriculums around the books we were reading. We learned about American history through biographies on Abraham Lincoln, old collections of Pilgrim stories, first hand accounts of encounters with George Washington, and harrowing recollections of Revolutionary War soldiers. Living in California offered great opportunities to delve into the history of the Wild West and we read about gold miners seeking their fortunes, the doomed Donner Party expedition, the great San Francisco earthquake, Buffalo Bill and his traveling spectacular. It was exciting. History was the stories of real people just like us! By reading biographies, historical fiction, award-winning literature, and first-hand accounts, we were being given the gift of a legacy. History became personal and relevant. It was not just a collection of facts consisting of names and dates. It was "our" story, it told us why we were here. That is the beauty and importance of history. It is not necessarily the dates and facts that are of most importance. It's the reasons behind the stories that give our lives meaning and help us understand who we are. I have never heard of a child not wanting to hear stories of her parents and grandparents childhoods and that is simply because as humans we long for connection and placement. And yet, so many children's natural curiosity for what came before them is squelched when they're given a history textbook. It may provide all the facts but no matter how well-written, it cannot provide the narrative that we long for as human beings. Story does that.
So we were immersing ourselves in story and as anyone who knows my mom can attest, when Mom is excited about something, she's evangelical. Her friends rarely left our home without a book loan, she had a book recommendation for everything. As a child, I was sure that birthday party invitations would soon dry up because we were arrived with our tell-tale flat, square gifts!
Mom faced a couple of challenges in her pursuit of the best books. The first was that this was in the early 1980s so there was no access to the internet and finding some of the more obscure titles required hours of research and lots of phone calls to book finding services. Secondly, we lived in a tiny little gold-mining town and did not have access to vast libraries or other resources. Mom decided the best way to ensure that her friends all had access to these books, was to start selling them herself. She applied for a business license and soon the UPS man was making daily deliveries and boxes of books were taking over an entire room in our home.
Now all my mom's friends and fellow homeschoolers had easy access to the books that were making history come alive, but now what? It was great to have a wonderful library, but people craved a bit more structure. While she was teaching us, Mom had been putting together study notes, reading assignments, discussion topics and unwittingly creating a history curriculum entirely based on literature. As we got a bit older, Mom and her other homeschooling friends starting doing co-op classes and guess who always taught history? As their children became excited about history, these happy parents began asking for Mom's study notes. And so she typed them up on a typewriter and made photocopies. I distinctly remember this point in my childhood because we were making lots of trips to the little printing store around the corner from our house.
These hand-typed study notes became the basis for Beautiful Feet Books' History Through Literature curriculums. Soon enough there was a growing demand from parents seeking to switch from textbooks, or others who loved literature but wanted a guide for using these wonderful books as a history curriculum. The typewriter was traded in for one of those original Apple Macintosh computers and homeschooling time now included lessons in running a small business! Lessons like how to take inventory, how to collate the printed study note pages and bind them in a plastic binders, how to check in arriving shipments and politely take an order. And as the homeschooling movement grew from those early days, so did BFB. Conventions and speaking engagements soon followed as people latched on to this new approach that harkened back to a long storytelling tradition we had lost sight of in our educational approaches.

BFB now sells over a dozen history study guides covering everything from ancient to modern history, geography, literature, and more. Tomorrow, I will finish up this history by sharing the story of the first book we published.  If you have any questions relating to the history of BFB, please feel free to ask!

And don't forget, the special promotion expires tomorrow! FREE STUDY GUIDE DOWNLOAD with a $75.00 purchase. Simply enter "blogpro" at checkout and the cost of the study guide ($15.95) will be deducted from your purchase. 

Back to the Beginning: How we got started

I hope each of you had a very blessed Easter. It has occurred to me that many of you may not be familiar with the history of Beautiful Feet Books, so I thought I would spend some time sharing that with you this week. Today I want to share the inspiration behind Beautiful Feet Books. 

In 1984 my parents, Russ and Rea Berg, began looking into homeschooling. They had three young children at the time and had been reading For the Children's Sake, Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Shaeffer Macaulay. It was a revelation! Macaulay championed a return to traditional forms of education centering around curiosity and creativity, and surrounding your child with an environment that nurtured those traits. In contrast to the one-size-fits-all classrooms and post-industrial educational models, Macaulay, championing the ideas of Charlotte Mason, advocated the development of each child's unique giftings. The role of literature in this mission was foundational. Children should be reared on the best books available. They should have easy access to inspiring biographies of historical heroes, they should be able to enter the imaginative worlds of fantasy, know what it was like to live long ago by reading great literature set in other times. This approach would encourage a child's natural curiosity and foster a life-long love of learning. It would also encourage the development of empathy and compassion as children learned about their place in history and the courage and struggles of those who came before them. To read more about Rea's discoveries, you can read this article. 

 

Once Rea was sold on this unique and inspiring educational method, she set about to find the very best children's literature for her young children. Books like Honey for a Child's Heart, The Imaginative Use of Books in Family Life by Gladys Hunt and Books Children Love, a Guide to the Best Children's Literature by Elizabeth Wilson proved invaluable. Hunt and and Wilson combed through the available literature, listed Newbury and Caldecott award winners, provided direction in creating an inspiring family library. As a child, I devoured the books that surrounded me. In these stories I found inspiration, purpose, and identity. Family read-aloud time was a priority and I have many fond memories of countless nights spent reading wonderful stories. I learned to love E. B. White, Ralph Moody, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Brinton Turkle, Robert McCloskey, Alice Dalgliesh, Carol Brink, Ingri and Edgar d'Aulaire, Marguerite De Angeli, Eleanor Estes, Elizabeth George Speare, and many more. We never had television and this allowed us the freedom of time; time to spend reading alone and together, time to explore, and time to partake of imaginative play. Once formal education began in our home, Rea continued to emphasize the role of literature. We did not use history textbooks, we read biographies, original source documents, great books by authors like Jean Fritz who have a gift for making history come alive.

On Wednesday, I'll write more about how this all led to the founding of Beautiful Feet Books. If you're intrigued, we would highly recommend For the Children's Sake. It is now a classic of the home schooling movement and is a wonderful resource. You can purchase it here. The other resources can also be purchased through the links above.

If you're looking to expand your library, I put together a couple of packages with my personal childhood favorites in our Teaching Character Through Literature curriculum. There are two packages available, one for younger students, and one for older intermediate level students. These are great "starter packs" for building your family's library. 

And, don't forget our promotion of a free study guide download (value $15.95) with a $75.00 purchase. Simply use this code at checkout: blogpro

For those of you who have read For The Children's Sake, what did you find most inspiring or world-changing? How have you applied aspects of Macaulay and Mason's approaches to your own educational journey?