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How To Create a Dynamic Learning Environment in Your Home

© Susan Franklin

After nearly two years of reading, browsing through catalogs, cruising the web, and talking to many homeschoolers in search of the "right" curriculum, I have come to the conclusion that educating myself about teaching, the learning process, etc. is a higher priority than purchasing a curriculum package.

Why? Because only when you know how and what to teach and get a wide variety of input about what has worked best for others can you know which curriculum package, if any, you should decide upon. My degree in education has only given me a good foundation in this process. It has not eliminated the need for the process.

Learning at home is much different, but in my opinion, more effective, than learning in a traditional school setting. And so it takes time learning from others how to do it well, just as any other job requires training and continuously learning how to improve.

And in working at educating myself first, and my children next, I have discovered my second priority: transforming our home into a relaxed learning environment. Keeping the television off is the first step. You can read about how we rid our home of television in my article "Television: Do You Really Need It?"

Choosing to spend time and money to create a learning environment in the home should be a priority for homeschoolers as well as those who choose to educate their children in a traditional school. Most American children spend more time watching television than in school. If their home was a place where independent learning and curiosity was encouraged and television was not an option, we would all benefit as a society. I know what you’re thinking and all I can say is “I have a dream.”

All it takes is thinking hard about the choices we make.

For example, instead of spending $25 on the latest video, why not buy art supplies or an age-appropriate board game? Or, instead of spending $30 a month for cable or an expanded cable or satellite option, use that money to buy reference books, maps, legos, or biographies of people worth reading about. Christmas and birthday gifts can be deliberately chosen to fit into your learning environment.

The primary objective in creating this dynamic home learning environment is to make learning fun, natural, and to foster a healthy curiosity that should result in an independent learner.

The following is a collection of ideas I have gathered.

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