Basing Education on your Child’s Interests
Let’s talk sharks!
Let’s talk about those razor sharp teeth. Let’s talk about one of the most fascinating predators on the planet.
Even if that’s not your favorite topic, my ten year old son can talk about it for, well, ever. Sharks and other marine life have become a passionate interest of his. It might turn into a career or it might just be a lifelong enjoyment of these creatures. Either way, it's wonderful to watch your kid dive into something they are passionate about.
If you are privileged enough to be a homeschool parent, I would strongly encourage you to let your kids choose a topic to dive into. Let their learning revolve around it. Learning is so much easier when talking about a subject that interests you. You might be surprised how easy it is to use a single topic to incorporate writing, reading, math, science and even social studies. Helping them research their interests can be a great way to model how to study independently and how to share what they learn.
You might even discover a few things yourself.
For instance, I had no idea that there is a shark that can live for hundreds of years! It’s true. They are called the Greenland shark. Go check it out!
Greenland Shark. Britannica.com
I have watched my twelve-year-old’s interest in art and cartoons turn into an interest in Asian cultures. She is currently teaching herself another language! And my youngest three children just love counting pictures. An interest can turn into discovery, which turns into learning.
Here are a few practical tips for helping come up with a curriculum centered around your kids’ interests:
Have them create a research paper, slide show, presentation, or story on their subject of interest.
Have them look up what goes into researching a topic and how math, reading, and science can be incorporated into the project.
Frequently sit down with your child and talk to them about their interests and how they want to move forward with learning more on those topics.
Take them to observe or shadow someone in a career involving their passion.
Make sure that they understand that just because their interest area isn’t one of their prescribed subjects, that doesn’t mean they can’t look into it.
If you want more help in figuring out how to use your child’s interests to create a curriculum or education plan, click the contact us button at the top of the page.
