Saturday, October 9, 2010

Something for Grownups

As a homeschooling parent I need to come clean about something.  It's been lurking in the recesses of my being, waiting for the appropriate moment to be unleashed upon the masses as a confession.  I have a confession to share and it's deeply personal and I guess this post might as well be the appropriate vehicle for launching my heretofore protected secret:

PART OF THE REASON I CHOSE TO HOMESCHOOL MY CHILD IS THIS:  I WANTED TO GO BACK AND RELEARN THINGS, TOO!  I WANT TO EXPERIENCE AN EDUCATION THAT IS OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD COOL, TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY, TO LEARN BECAUSE LEARNING'S FUN!

How many other homeschooling grownups feel this way?

Have you seen this series?  Intellectual devotionals to feed your craving for interesting information that might just fill in some gaps.  That whisper that screams, "Oh!  So THAT'S what the Magna Carta was all about.  Duh.  I had forgotten how that fit into the big picture and now I'm reminded again.  Whew.  Maybe I won't appear brainless at dinner parties from now on!"  You know, that sort of thing.

These are handy little books to have tucked in your bag for times when you are stuck somewhere (like when you are waiting at the music studio while your kiddo has his drum lesson and the only reading material available to you is an old Time magazine that you read cover to cover over the last three lessons).  They also happen to be great bathroom accessories as well as perfect for the night stand beside the bed.  Short one-page sections on topics like history, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, religion, fine arts, and music. 




I LOVE learning about people in history, finding out who they were and what they did.



Not so much that I need to roam confidently with the cultured class, it's more about satiating my curiosity to know things and to try and fit them into the big puzzle called life.

Are you aware of the Teaching Company's offerings?  I have a few of their lecture series and have enjoyed them for the most part.  This is the kind of learning you do after college more because you WANT to explore a subject in more detail.  Professors and experts from around the country are selected to deliver lectures on DVD or via audiocast.  Most of them are 30 minutes in length, so you can go at your own pace.  I've enjoyed learning more detail about the Louvre and about books that have changed the world.  The company offers smashing sales, so get on their email list if you want to score on some good prices.  Bet these are available on eBay, too.  Isn't everything available on eBay?



  

4 comments:

  1. LOL - yep :) Though we haven't gotten to the Magna Carta yet - reviewing the text and circumstances leading up to the Constitution has been ever so much more interesting to me now than when I went over it in school though.
    Those sound ;like neat books! I'm going to look for them next time I hit Barnes & Noble.
    ~h
    (here from SecularHomeschooling.com)

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  2. Have fun with them, Heather. It's our chance to pick up things the second time around!

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  3. I'm currently feeling very aware of how much knowledge I'm lacking from my education and how much there is that I want to learn. I want to be a homeschooler, too!! This is, perhaps, one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling - the reawakening of curiosity and the desire to learn in the traditionally educated parents. The biggest question, though, is where to start!?? I truly feel like I need a whole 'nother chance at school so I can actually LEARN it this time. Fortunately, as a homeschool mom, I'll get one. I just don't want to wait!

    Bedside Baccalaureate books are great too!

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  4. Thanks for the recommend about the Bedside Baccalaureate books. It's awesome that we get a second chance as homeschooling parents to fill in gaps and rediscover the joys of learning! Don't worry about where to start - pick something you are really interested in and follow it. Show your kids that you are learning about things you care about. Best wishes!

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