Each year around this time the boys and I put together a learning plan for the year. We're very relaxed about them, we find it fun to discuss what we all would like to learn about and what we want to focus our resources (time, energy, and sometimes money) on. We usually jot down lists of interests and have a couple times done some mind-mapping learning plans (very fun!). W, at almost 16, is very self-directed and motivated in his learning. He has been organizing high-school age workshop courses for the local homelearners for the last two years and needs very little help from us planning out his year anymore...actually, we sometimes find it challenging to even keep up with him anymore and, at times, it feels as though we just sort of scurry along behind him with whatever support we can give if and when he needs/wants it. The other day he was making some plans for this fall and it reminded me that E and I would need to do our learning plans soon. I mentioned to E that we should think about what we wanted to put on them and E, being as much about efficiency and simplicity as his mother, replied, "Everything!". ;-)
I can see it now.
E's Learning Plan 2011-2012
This year I want to learn about...
Everything!
And I have to say I quite like it. ;-)
4 comments:
Hehe...I like his style ;o)
Isn't it amazing that most folks think that learning only takes place in school? Love your way of thinking...
I love these amazing kids!
brilliant!
I admire the relaxation with which you trust your boys, and how you are there for what they need and able to offer it, when they need it, if they need it. It is such a welcome paradigm shift and as I watch my own boys "learn" it is amazing what they get up to in a single day and how all of the "subjects" layer and infuse and meld together. And the next day carries over to the next, adding more depth. I find it even hard now to think of and ask the boys "what do you want to learn about?" The question is almost ethereal and certainly ambiguous, because it really never stops, it's just that the question can help me and them to slow some bits down, to see where we may want to stear the boat to travel a new, uncharted channel or beach it for awhile. We love learning, that is for certain!!!
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