Be your child's learning partner

Educating parents are their children's learning partners.

Sometimes we worry that your children aren't doing anything that looks, smells or feels like education. I've found that at times like this, it helps to make the effort to translate what they are doing into educational terminology.

For example, although it can look like a passive activity, playing on the iPad is quite a complex task. To unpack this as an educating parent I might ask myself:

• What exactly is the child doing?

• What is the content?

• Is it new or going over old stuff he already knows (consolidation)?

• Is he learning new skills in the game, if so, what skills?

• Are they problem solving skills, strategy skills, do they require quick thinking, calculating, etc?

Or I might talk to the child about what is going on in the game and gauge from that how it is enhancing their understanding or abilities.

If a child is busy doing something — anything — they're learning something. And as educating parents, it's up to us to work that out, not them. And it isn't difficult once we get the hang of doing it.

And it is only by doing it that we discover how they learn, what they like to learn and what they want to learn. And that’s also the process of getting to know who they are, which is an important aspect of building a relationship with anyone.

Because we’ve lived many years longer than our children and picked up and honed skills they've yet to encounter, and have chosen to home educate them, it's up to us to take the lead and mentor our children.

Give up the notion that home education is setting your child up to diligently plough through and complete exercises in student workbooks or online learning apps and programs. It’s way more hands-on than that.

It's living and learning and playing and being with them. It's exploring and investigating and experimenting with them. It's leading them, mentoring them, tutoring them.

As educating parents we don't set up tasks for our children, we work with them.

Home education works because of the time we give to our children, the time we make for our children. They respond and grow and learn from the attention we give them.

And I’ve used that word ‘give’ there with intention, because giving is an unconditional act.

Children need attention from people who are older, wiser, more skilled and knowledgeable than them. They want timely and meaningful interaction in context with their daily lives.

When they were babies and toddlers we willingly and instinctively gave them this help, encouragement and support. We demonstrated how to do things and reassured them that they'd eventually master those skills, abilities and knowledge over time. We were there for them because we knew that this is the way children learn and grow.

School has corrupted the way we think about learning. It's stopped us thinking analytically and sensibly about it. Children and parents make great learning partners. Homes and gardens and local communities are great learning environments. Home education works. And I've used that word because learning is work. And helping our children learn is our work.

Sit with your child, experiment, explore and discover with your child. Be with your child. Talk with your child. Share experiences together.

And, in your own time, ponder what is being learned and how. How are you both growing? Think about what exciting learning adventures may await you tomorrow, what you can bring into your lives to enhance your shared experiences.

photo credit: Julia M Cameron