Joy of Learning = Retention

One of the biggest issues I've noticed this year is that many of my students only "learn" something long enough to give me the right answer in class or pass a test. Ah, the age old problem of retention. At one point, I actually asked some of my American Lit high school students to tell me what they know about Patrick Henry. Imagine my concern when one of my students, who had taken my American History course the previous year where we read a biography of Henry, responded with "his name sounds familiar." My first thought was "Why am I teaching?" I felt that I had really let that student down. Amazingly, less than half of the class, all of whom admitted to having previously taken American History, could tell me anything about Henry.However, the students who did respond seemed to know a great deal about him. I was clearly dealing with a situation of extremes. 

So, I contemplated the difference between the two student groups. Was it that the knowledgeable group was brighter, more intelligent? No. Could it be that the group lacking knowledge had poor homeschooling, maybe their parents just didn't do a great job of teaching them? Well, considering that I had taught one of those students, well, we'll leave it at that. :) Finally, it hit me...they differed in one area...their attitudes toward learning. Most of the students who responded with knowledge had a different attitude about learning in general. They responded to their education from a perspective of desire rather than feeling obligated.

I remember high school American history. My teacher was the soccer coach and he referred to me by my last name only. He also threatened often to buy me a free airline ticket to anywhere. I drove him crazy because although I was an excellent student, I didn't understand the value of history. Being young, I was much more interested in creative writing where I was allowed to express my thoughts or literature where I could dive into another world for a while. But history? Yuck! 

Fast forward to a homeschool mom with an education degree hoping to teach her children in a more interesting way than she was taught. I spent many hours just sitting in the public library reading picture books, biographies and historical literature. They were much more interesting than textbooks. As my children grew, so did my love for history. I am still learning...I know I have at least one current student who could teach my class...he's that bright. But more than his knowledge, it's his passion for learning that would do the job. 

I have now raised two children who both admit to enjoying learning new things and realize the importance of continuing to educate themselves in their adult lives. This joy of learning translates to my daughter's book stack...she continues to grow in her professional and personal life. My son, a college student, went in with 30 credit hours due to dual-enrollment in high school and now wants to add a minor rather than graduating early. He feels like taking advantage of that time in college makes more sense than trying to go back later. So, how did I help instill this joy of learning in my own children? 

1. Be a learner - I am currently learning to draw and to play a musical instrument. I've never been able to do either, but I also know it's not too late to learn something new. If your children see you striving to add to your knowledge base, they'll take it as a matter of fact process. I still share what I am learning with my children. They encourage me and hopefully, it encourages them to see that I don't believe age should ever deter you from being a learner. Students of parents who read are more likely to be adult readers themselves.
2. Be positive about learning - If you relate stories about how much you or your spouse disliked school, reading, etc., you're giving your children permission to do the same. Regularly point out the value of learning and the joy it brings to life overall. Reading and learning from God's Word is a prime example...how much has studying the Bible changed your life?
3. Don't label your children - My son tends to be much less of an achiever than my daughter and I found myself saying that aloud as he was growing up. But I soon saw the effect it was having on him, as if my expectations for him were lower. I don't believe in lying...my son is an underachiever, but he is amazingly bright. Now, I focus on the amazingly bright aspect and encourage him to work up to it. He just has a very different approach to education, but it doesn't keep him from enjoying learning. Praise God that He revealed my mistake to me before I seriously affected my son's joy of learning. Labeling our children is easy to do because it makes us more comfortable, but it can keep them from growing beyond those labels.
4. Use your child's interests and gifts to instill the joy of learning subject matter that's not as fascinating - If your child enjoys building, but really doesn't like to read, encourage him to read books about building. Maybe you have a budding chef in the family...what better way to teach math skills? Or a future photographer may better see the value of history through photographs and their effect on our perspective. A joy of learning in one area can translate to a general desire to learn more about many different things. 
5. Point out why being a lifelong learner has such value - I often ask my students why they waste their time studying material only to forget it after the test. That's like eating a pan full of brownies while you're jogging. It's pointless except in the immediate. God didn't design us to be stagnate creatures. Proverbs 1 states let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance (v.5). The world changes continually and people who choose not to be learners will find themselves left behind...I am not speaking of technology but wisdom. We cannot be swayed by the many voices that scream out against God, but the joy of learning can lead us closer to our Savior. My parents' generation often referred to education as the means to a great job and comfortable life. I want more than a comfortable life for my children...I want a passionate, Christ-centered life for them where joy is found in growing in knowledge and wisdom. Education isn't about grades or credits, it's about the person you become in the process.  The grade and credits are temporal, but who you are affects your life now and eternally.

Do you have ideas about instilling a joy of learning in our children? How do you go about moving your children from mere short term knowledge to a desire to grow? Please comment and share your wisdom with other homeschool parents!

God's blessing on your homeschool as you raise your writers!