Do you take summers off from homeschooling? Many of us do. And yet, we don’t. Not really. Even though we’ve put the textbooks away, we’re still learning. I’d like to share five tips to boost summer learning as your children explore the outdoors, work part-time jobs, play sports, pursue their interests, and more.
Of course, these summer activities aren’t unique to homeschoolers. Many public school families are able to enjoy the same experiences. However – and I admit I might be biased – I think homeschoolers are more adept at fostering a learning mindset in the midst of everything. This learning mindset boosts skills, encourages creativity, and develops independent learners. At its best, it takes little effort and produces big rewards.
Summer is the ideal time to set aside any tendency to grade your children and embrace the words of John Dewey.
“Were all instructors to realize that the quality of mental process, not the production of correct answers, is the measure of educative growth something hardly less than a revolution in teaching would be worked.”
John Dewey
It’s this focus on process that encourages a learning mindset.
A Learning Mindset
By my definition, children with a learning mindset actively acquire new information and skills without any tangible rewards. They are curious about the world around them and gather skills that will help them as they grow into adults.
Encourage a learning mindset with these five tips to boost summer learning:
- Rest. The urge to go, go, go is hard to resist, particularly as things begin to reopen after a long year with Covid. Make sure you have enough time to relax and even get a little bored. Boredom can spur a lot of creativity.
- Think small. You don’t necessarily need to make elaborate plans. Simple outings and time with friends allow for exchange of ideas and motivate children to try new things.
- Think big. Do something out of the ordinary – an activity or craft you’ve never tried. Don’t worry about it being an ‘educational’ experience. Help your child explore and nudge the edges of their comfort zone.
- Allow your children to develop their own areas of expertise. Perhaps they’re forever collecting rocks. You can help them find resources to learn more, but you don’t need to study up and teach them all about rocks. Let them be the expert and teach you.
- Model a learning mindset. What do you want your children to do? If you want them to read, then read more. If you want them to be curious about the world, then actively seek out information about things you do and places you visit. Your children may or may not follow your lead immediately. But they will eventually.
John Dewey (1859 – 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer. He argued that education is not just a way to gain content knowledge and a pre-determined set of skills. Ideally, it also includes inquiry-driven learning that provides knowledge on how to live and realize one’s full potential.
Dewey had it right. With a learning mindset, your children can engage in learning all year long. Even when you take your summers off.
Enjoy your summer,
