| HomeschoolingResourceCenter.org Home | Search | About Us | Contact Us |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Keeping Focus April 2010 |
The great innovator, Benjamin Franklin, was always on the look-out for ways to improve life. One such idea entailed scattering plaster
in the fields to help things grow. When he passed the idea along to his neighbors, they didn't believe him. They even argued that the
plaster would be of no use to the grass or grain. After a while, he let the matter drop.
The next spring, Franklin sowed some grain as usual, but close by the path where the farmers would walk, he traced some letters with his finger, put the plaster into them, and then sowed seed in the plaster. After a week or two the seeds sprang up. As the farmers walked by, they were surprised to see – in brighter green than all the rest of the field – large letters saying, “This has been plastered.” Franklin didn't need to argue with his neighbors anymore about the benefits of plaster for the fields. Innovators often encounter resistance from the very people they are trying to help. John Maxwell writes in Developing the Leader Within You that people's minds are changed more through observation than through arguments. If you have family members, neighbors, or friends who are questioning your decision to homeschool or the method and approach you've chosen, remember the principle of scattering plaster. Hold your tongue. Implement what you sense needs to be done for your children, and then let the results speak for themselves. If you think your homeschooling has become stale or you feel bogged down by a program that isn't producing substantial results, try something new. The wonderful thing about homeschooling is that you are close to the source. If something isn't working, it doesn't take long for you to notice. When you're working one-on-one with your children, it's easier to see what's useful and what isn't. You can make immediate adjustments; you don't have to wait until the next “school year” to make changes. Throughout my years of curriculum consulting, I've found that just about any curriculum can be used with just about any learning style, with only a few exceptions. That means that you won't do any major damage by trying something new. The process of working one-on-one with your child usually means you can tweak whatever you are using to make it work. Such personal involvement is way better than what your child would get in a group classroom situation. Keep in mind, too, that most skills and concepts are taught across several levels. So if for some reason the new approach doesn't work, you don't have to worry about leaving major gaps in your child's education. You can pick up the skill the following year. So go ahead. Scatter some plaster in your homeschool field. 456 words To view more 'Keeping Focus' Articles please 'Log In' and visit the 'Achives' page. |
