Brave Learner

Enchanted Learning is a new concept (for me) in describing the learning environment that the home can become. Julie Bogart (Brave Writer) gives us a handbook for embracing what she calls “everyday magic", and how educators can enhance its impact on their homes and educational endeavors. She notes that homeschooling is about people; their stories, hopes, needs, opportunities, communication, and future. She tackles attitudes, approaches, and strategies because she has recognized that “...knowing who you are and what brings you joy beyond your children provides comfort and optimism at the end of the homeschooling journey." More importantly, she confronts the really hard question: “Can a love of learning thrive amid childish chaos, parental self-doubt, the flu, and state academic standards?" Then she proceeds to give us practical (and sometimes a bit magical and mystical) ways to promote an atmosphere that will nurture a passion for learning. She maintains that we often need a paradigm shift in the way we see and set up our homeschools. The magical and superpower terminology encourages that shift and infuses hope. This book is not all unicorns and rainbows. In fact, it's not that at all. It has caused me to confront full on some of my own beliefs about how things ought to be and to recognize that there are other paths to similar goals and many of those are more fun, more exciting, more challenging than the ones I chose. I encourage you to gather up your courage and bravely examine your homeschool learning environment from a new perspective. With the proper guidance, parent teachers may well find a willingness to instill a new enchantment into the learning process. This resource, by Julie Bogart, would be a great place to start. ~ Janice