“SLO Classical Academy is a community that forges character, fosters wisdom, and nurtures a lifelong passion for learning.”
This is our school’s mission, and for many of us it’s part of our mission at home as well. But sometimes nurturing that “lifelong passion for learning” on home days is easier said than done! We are so thankful for resources like our recent Andrew Pudewa seminars that continue to inspire and encourage us in this pursuit. Today we want to share ten suggestions to help inspire and maintain a love of learning in your family. We know there are many ways to do this, and we hope you'll share from your own experience too. To get us started, here are a few ideas to consider:
1. Read books that inspire learning – You are already doing this, because the books we read at SLOCA help kindle not only a love of learning, but a love of virtue as well. Read the classics, read fairy tales, try one of the “Must Reads,” and your young minds will connect with and be inspired by the great minds. For additional and more modern read-aloud ideas, Simple Homeschool has this helpful post titled “10 inspiring book titles that model love of learning.”
2. Adorn your home with encouraging words – This can be as simple as post-it notes that you change often, or beautiful framed art that can be a constant reminder of messages you want your kids to embrace. Here’s a list of “15 Cool Etsy Prints to Inspire Strong Kids,” which was compiled by Childhood 101. Many of these inspire a love of learning and other SLOCA character traits, and can be used for ideas to make your own signs, or purchased through Etsy if you like them.
3. Don’t label your child, but find out how they learn best – For example, rather than saying (or letting your child say) “I’m not good at math,” discover his or her learning style/s and then try different ways of using their learning style to engage more with the subject. There are many “learning styles” books and online resources you can use. One book I (Jenny) read in the past and found helpful is The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias:
Some subjects just aren’t “fun” all the time, but knowing your child’s learning style/s and adapting to them will help your student interact with the material in more enjoyable and meaningful ways.
4. Discover what your child is passionate about – Beyond learning their learning styles, be a student of your student, and find out what makes them tick. Do they delight in the outdoors? Science? Music? Animals? Art? Do they love to get lost in a book? Do they enjoy tinkering and taking things apart? Make time in your week to let your kids pursue the healthy things they love to do, to nurture their talents and interests, and they will be highly motivated to learn while doing them.
5. Cultivate a growth mindset in yourself and your kids – If you read the book Mindset, you’ll know what we are talking about, and if you didn’t, you’ll want to! A growth mindset allows a lifelong love and pursuit of learning, because it understands that intelligence and skills can be developed. When it comes to nurturing this in our children, it’s praising their effort, hard work, and perseverance over their natural abilities. For more about this book and the growth mindset, see this blog post, and read the book!
6. Model a love of learning – You knew this would be on the list, didn’t you? We all know that the best way to influence our kids is to model the kind of behavior and attitudes that we want to nurture in them. One of the wonderful things about our hybrid program is that we DO get to learn right along with our kids, and show them that learning continues throughout life. We can discuss history and literature and science and Singapore math strategies that are new to us, interacting with our children in purposeful ways and sharing the excitement of learning new things. And if you pursue other interests, such as taking an online class, attending a workshop, or inviting a friend over to teach you something, share those ideas with your kids too. One option: check out this playlist of TED talks – Short talks for parents who are short on time but starved for intellectual stimulation. (Not that we are starved for intellectual stimulation around here, but it looks like a great playlist!) Then tell your kids about something interesting you learned!
7. Learn something new together – A perfect idea to try on a day off or for E&E, pick something that you and your child can both learn together, like a sewing project, a science experiment, counting to ten in another language, planting a succulent garden, making a YouTube video, or trying an “Hour of Code” tutorial. You will likely learn a lot about your child while you both learn something interesting!
8. Let your child teach you something new – Showing genuine interest in learning something from your child is a great way to model a love of learning while connecting with them. Maybe they teach you how to play a new game, or something about the solar system that they learned in class, or interesting facts about a topic that they are passionate about. Kids love to learn by teaching, and they will see that you love learning too.
9. Let them help – Many kids love to help with real jobs and house projects that are usually reserved for the grown ups. You can teach them all kinds of practical skills along the way that will help reinforce problem-solving, resourcefulness, responsibility, diligence, and stewardship.
10. Spend time with other people who love learning – it’s contagious! Being around someone who is passionate about a subject can rub off and inspire you to want to learn more about it too. Does Grandma love to try new recipes? Do you have a neighbor who is always building something in his workshop? Is there a book club you can join? (Why yes, our parent book club!) Chances are, you have life-long learners in your circle of friends and family. And thankfully, right here at SLOCA we are surrounded by a community that loves to learn, and kids who love to learn too. The students definitely pick up on each other’s love of learning on campus.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic too! What have you discovered that helps nurture a lifelong passion for learning in yourself and your kids? Please share in the comments!
