An Ode to Learning
“Learning never exhausts the mind.” Leonardo da Vinci
What does it mean to be ‘educated’? Mortimer Adler, Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and Chairman of the Board of Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, had much to say about the ‘educated person’.
His belief was that schools were only one type of education; a person learns much with or without schooling. He further opined that there was no limit to the amount of growth and development that the mind can sustain. And that’s good news.
So, the research is clear: all children can progress in their learning. But we want our children to love learning. We want them to value deep knowledge, wonder and investigation. We want them to remain curious. Always.
Hearth and home become a space to cultivate the richness and excitement of learning. As families remain the first educator, there are myriad ways to support a young person’s art of learning. Whilst the shift from primary schooling years into high school often feels as if parents’ and carers’ roles have changed, much still needs to happen at home to nurture the emerging, educated person.
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Love great books (and poems) – literacy
Read good books. Dedicate a Saturday evening (digital detox night!) to classic book night, encouraging our adolescents to read aloud. Read together. Read books that stretch everyone’s comfort level. Ask the hard questions prompted by the good books. Memorise Australian ballads. Model reading.Recommended and loved classics:
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - A masterpiece about navigating big feelings.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - A delightful introduction to numbers, days of the week, and the magic of transformation
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown - The perfect, gentle bedtime story that has soothed generations of children.
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - A beautiful, heart warming take of friendship, life and loss.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - A powerful story about healing, hope, and the restorative power of nature.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - A wildly imaginative and wonderfully funny story that sparks creativity.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - The quintessential fantasy adventure that opens the door to a magical world.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling - The modern classic that reignited a love of reading for an entire generation.
Possum Magic by Mem Fox - An iconic Australian story full of charm, adventure, and a love for Australian landscape.
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay - A true blue Aussie classic, this book is a hilarious and rambunctious adventure
Love numbers – mathematics
Recite, chant, sing and memorise the times tables (on the trampoline, playing basketball). Help fill in the gaps of maths memory. Play games that reinforce number sense: Equate, Monopoly. Show family budgets. Add, subtract, divide and multiply with real money.Love all creatures (and landscapes) great and small – science and geography
Place a great, glorious (world) map on the wall in the family-frequented area of the home. Reference it during dinner discussions. Invest in a telescope as a ‘family gift’. Learn the scientific names of the plants (and insects!) in the backyard; know the names of the trees that line the street. Offer a small slice of good soil to the kids for a vegetable garden. Watch the wonder of plants growing and flourishing.Love (true) stories of people and places – history
Watch interesting documentaries (with popcorn) about great men and women, and how they shaped our world. Read biographies. Visit local museums. Take a trip to Brisbane to view exhibitions. Celebrate the birthdays of memorable people. Discuss the vices and virtues of people celebrated today.Start with these suggestions:
Who Was....? series - there are 12 books in the series and can be purchased as individual books
Little People, Big Dream series - there are 10 books and these can also be bought individually.
The warp and woof of learning blends together home and formalised schooling. By feeding and privileging erudition in our homes, we hope to form little people into well-rounded adults who will continue to seek to know more.
Yours in the love of learning,
Karina
Karina Hepner is a mother and educator living in Toowoomba. She has taught in several educational systems world-wide and believes that all children can flourish by reading and thinking about good books.
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