{photo by Brandy Potts}
Enjoying our two day break this week? Here's something to ponder before you jump back into homeschooling. In Oliver DeMille's A Thomas Jefferson Education, there’s a chapter called “Great Teaching”, in which he talks about the roles of students and teachers. Students educate themselves by trying, succeeding and failing, and trying again. Great teachers mentor their students, inspiring and helping them to continue this process of becoming educated.
As a homeschooling parent, you might appreciate his quick list of teaching tips for mentors:
1. Smile throughout
2. Shower advice
3. Warn
4. Encourage
5. Praise
6. And, most importantly, set the example
Hmm, great advice, definitely worthy of further contemplation. What would this look like for you? Maybe it would be beneficial to print and post this in the area where you do your teaching (maybe even try recitethis.com with this list?). Sometimes a visual reminder like this is just what we need when starting our homeschool day, or getting through a rough patch.
What do you think about Mr. DeMille’s list of teaching tips? Which one do you find most challenging? (Who else agrees that the first one isn’t always so easy?!) Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.
On a side note, we could use some input! Do you use educational posters in your home or homeschool area? Down Home wants to know what your favorite posters are, so we can share the compiled list with the group – please email [email protected] and tell us which educational posters you would recommend to others (and where you got them). We all benefit by sharing what works, so please participate with a quick email – thank you!
