by Kelli Poll It was the early 1960s. In Grosse Point, Michigan a bold experiment was carried out. Applicants were tested to find those who had intellectual and leadership potential. The parents whose children were turned away became bitter and resentful, while those of accepted [...]
This baffling behavior continued for several weeks. It was the only abnormal quirk he exhibited. He acted much like any typical toddler in every other respect, so we weren’t overly concerned, but we were certainly curious! We often made comments like, “He’s YOUR child” or “He must take after YOUR side of the family”, and would just laugh it off, knowing he would eventually grow out of it. But I’ll be forever grateful that he didn’t grow out of it before I learned the powerful message he was bringing me.
by Shanalei Anderson For those of you who love and embrace the educational philosophy taught in Oliver DeMille's A Thomas Jefferson Education, here are some ideas for homeschooling children in the "Core Phase" (up to around age 8 or so)--the years in which children [...]
By Angela Baker Recently I was meeting with my children and outlining the structure of our summer schedule. My 12 year old daughter, our second child, was visibly disgruntled about something during our meeting. I met with her afterward and we had an enlightening heart-to-heart [...]
Rachel, I do have one little question, if you don't mind: which age of children do you spend the most time on/with (I know the balance thing—and I know what I do—but I want to hear from another mother with very special demands and a [...]
What American Homeschoolers Say They Want The biggest educational trend in the United States is the growth of alternative schools. The Supreme Court decision on vouchers, along with numerous state-level efforts to empower non-traditional education, is indicative of this trend. But the big changes are [...]
Do you have any thoughts on a structuring a Core Phase playgroup for homeschoolers? ~AH Hi, A----. This is such a great question! The families most inclined to be attracted to a playgroup are often particularly vulnerable to “conveyor belt hangover”; and while informal "play [...]
From the Desk of Rachel DeMille... The times, they are a-changin'. Ten years ago, most of our effort was spent helping parents to recapture their own Core and Love of Learning. Back then the Big Prize was Adult Scholar Phase, and everyone was talking about [...]
New Science on What Makes Quality Education Harvard Business School recently emphasized that the major changes in the world tend to come from what they called “disruptive innovators.” Disruptive innovators are disruptive precisely because they are totally unexpected by the mainstream.These are surprising innovations that [...]
Q: A new friend asked me one day how he could be sure that his little kids would grow up to be scholars. His question got me thinking, and I crafted this response... A: We have four youth between the ages of 12 and [...]
