When I started my quest to understand how the mind learns and apply that in a home setting, I think the best description of learning science is from Charlotte Mason. She said education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life. This phrase is seeming simple and straightforward, but there are so many layers and so much complexity I’m still learning more about it. 

Here’s what she said about each of these instruments, or tools:

When we say that “education is an atmosphere,” we do not mean that a child should be isolated in what may be called a ‘child-environment’ especially adapted and prepared, but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere, both as regards persons and things, and should let him live freely among his proper conditions. It stultifies a child to bring down his world to the child’s level.

By “education is a discipline,” we mean the discipline of habits, formed definitely and thoughtfully, whether habits of mind or body. Physiologists tell us of the adaptation of brain structures to habitual lines of thought, i.e., to our habits

In saying that “education is a life,” the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied. The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.

She said this long before social science was considered a science, and very little was known about the human mind and how it learns. But she had a keen sense of observation and watched children learning in her schools for over 40 years. Today we now have mountains of research and science experiments to show us that phrase really true. The human mind learns by exposure and by forming relationships with people and things. It learns by doing something over and over again until it becomes a habit. Finally, the human mind learns best from ideas and stories. 

MYTH: Learning Styles

The idea that people have unique learning styles has never been proven. There have been studies to test if learning styles work, but not one study has shown that people learn better when the material is adjusted to their “personal learning style.” But what studies have shown is that the material should be presented in the way that is most natural, or makes sense, to that subject. 

So this week I will teach you about the different teaching tools you have available to teach subjects to your children. This week will actually consist of 4 short videos instead of one long one where I’ll go into detail for each educational “instrument.” 

In the following videos and posts I’ll bust some more myths about learning, and teach you about the teaching tool and the science behind it, then share how you can use it at home. In my opinion, this is the most important week of this series, and the one that makes it the most unique from all other homeschool courses.

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