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SPRING 2020
HOMESCHOOL IOWA 9
SHORTER is better.
Think about all the articles, posts, and YouTube videos out there.
They’re short, brief, and cut away all the fat. That’s because more
learning takes place in smaller chunks. Your mind (and the minds
of your children) starts to cloud over after a while until learning
stops, along with the enjoyment.
So practically, that means spending a shorter day of home-
schooling is better than spending a longer day. Yes, you can be
done with the “book learning” by noon, even in higher grades. It
also means your individual subjects and lessons are shorter. An
hour of math, science, or anything else is too long. Don’t tell me
why I’m wrong and that your kids have to spend more time to get
it. It’s an excuse, and it kills learning.
More is better
I’ll just say right off: More is worser and less is better, especially
at the beginning. I’d rather my children know that dolphins can
jump high, swim fast, and do a lot of other cool things than to tell
me what kingdom, class, phylum, whatever they’re in. That stuff
is boring and only used if your child becomes a biologist or text-
book writer.
Keep the subjects shallow at first so that your kids can get a taste
of what they might like to learn more about later. Don’t sweat the
technical stuff. Expose them to the engaging parts. I often wonder
how many kids who liked plants got turned off on plants because
all the textbooks talk about is the pistils and stamens, forgetting
the cool plants that eat insects, close up at a human touch, or live
to be 5,000 years old.
Earlier is better
What is with homeschoolers trying to get a jump on the rest of
the world in learning? I can’t tell you how many parents come up
and say, “I’m burnt out on homeschooling, and my child is four.”
Then I learn they’re doing five hours of school each day, and
they’re reading chapter books.
Yes, I know some kids get it early. But maybe even then, EARLY
isn’t better. Maybe it’s better to have young children who play in-
stead of do school, middle schoolers who still work on multiplica-
tion instead of Algebra, and kids who graduate at 18 instead of 15.
There is nothing noble about beating everyone to the end of the
race. In fact, I believe if we start too early and push too hard, it kills
the love of learning. Just relax, and let your kids move at their own
pace. If you have a child who you think is a school whiz, you might
even apply the brakes slightly so they can enjoy being a child just
a little bit longer, because some of those kids who can handle the
“upper courses” can’t handle the emotional pressure that comes
with it.
Are you starting to get the idea? To inspire your children, keep
school short, make the topics broad, give them lots of time to ex-
plore and discover, and keep video games to a bare minimum.*
And if you aren’t’ smiling and your kids aren’t smiling, there is no
love of learning taking place.
We’ll talk more about this topic when I see you in August!! Mark
your calendars and save the date! August 8 at Faith Baptist Bible
College in Ankeny for the Homeschool Iowa Connect event!
Todd
*You decide what’s too much. For my family, an hour a day is too
much. Maybe it’s different for you, just don’t fall into the trap that
“free time = video time.”