Books. I know that sounds odd but I believe that it is true. As I have done research on different methods on education I seem to hear a resounding theme. Whether you are classical or unschooling, everyone wants to go beyond boxed curriculum. NerdDad had told me a while ago about reading something from John Gatto (an award winning teacher). It was that kids weren’t reading books but “exerpts”. Because of this I hear people saying that it is better to not use curriculum and just surround your children with quality books and their natural curiousity will take over. So I begain reflecting on my own educational past. I was a voracious reader and would read just about anything. I loved biographies and they inspired me to study what I would need to learn (math and science) in order to acheive. I was inspired to learn about history by reading historical novels. One particular example of that was anything by Bodie and Brock Thoene. I would check the facts that were in their many series. I went on to learn about the facts of World War II but also the social issues that were behind it. I was inspired by Science Fiction to find out about real science and how far we had already come. The area reading probably influenced the most was religion. I loved reading the Bible but also books by authors sharing their own experience.
So why doesn’t traditional schooling have just reading as a major component to education? I really don’t have any idea. I think it could be fear. Fear that the kids will go beyond their prescribed areas of reading. Fear that kids won’t like reading. Fear that they will not be able to measure a child’s growth. But, I think you can pair curriculm with a love a reading. I hope to be able to tailor an education program to whatever crazy thing it is the kids are currently enjoying reading about. The nice thing about a small “class” is that I will have that freedom. Don’t get me wrong, there will be some school books but in limited areas. I think when we study history and other social sciences there is no reason to abandon the rich literature we have available to us. Perhaps this will teach more than dates and times but also logic. I suppose what I hope the most is that it will inspire my children to be brilliant and all that they could ever dream for themselves.