Access

Finishing up reading Learning All the Time, I was struck by the quote:

"What adults can do for children is make more and more of that world and the people in it accessible and transparent to them."

The key word is access.  This means access to real-life---library, grocery store, nature trails, rivers, museums, gardens.  Living in these places--checking out books, shopping, hiking, fishing, exploring, planting---is true learning.  This is where adults live, grow, and flourish.

"On the whole, kids are more interested in things that adults really use than in the little we buy especially for them."

YES!  So many outside voices were shouting at me on how to teach my son to read years ago.  Voices in the homeschooling community, parents of his friends, my own education in achieving my master's degree in reading shouted to begin with phonics, sight words, and easy readers.  Each time I tried these routes he dug his heels in and our relationship suffered.  Knowing in my heart this wasn't working for him, me, or our family, I backed off.  While I continued to read aloud, enjoy jokes and poems, and share information on current events in his areas of interest, I let him on his own discover reading.  Guess what he did!  His reading addiction began with a difficult book on Special Forces and has continued following his interest reading entertaining and challenging material.  

I am so thankful I backed off and didn't diminish all interest in reading.  Now, I talk to parents of his friends who describe their sons as "hating reading" and refusing to read anything unless absolutely assigned.  

One size doesn't fit all.  Not every education philosophy works for every student.  Trust your child and follow their lead.