Art & Science of Home Education
Sessions: 4
Lecture: 5h 25m
Certificate: 8+ hrs
100 CAD
The home school advantage evidenced in three key arenas of development – learning, individuation and socialization – is ample evidence that education is not a matter of curriculum or of teacher training, but rather of relationship and of conditions conducive to the spontaneous unfolding of human potential. Not every home can be the answer, but when it can be, there is no better answer.
As is the case with all our courses, this course features lectures by Dr. Neufeld, carefully curated support for enriched study, study aides, the opportunity to ask questions of trained faculty or course facilitators, a year's access to the campus to enable study at one's own pace, and a certificate of attendance upon completion. For more information, consult the 'about our courses' page.
COURSE SUMMARY
The home-school advantage, once understood, has lessons not only for the parents who are assuming responsibility for educating their children, but for all involved in education generally. The most difficult aspect of teaching one's children at home is not usually the task itself, but rather the stress of swimming against the stream of the mistaken assumption that school is necessary to become properly socialized, for personal well-being, and for optimal development. In this course, Dr. Neufeld joins forces with his daughter, Tamara Neufeld Strijack, to shed light on why home schooling makes sense, why it works when it does, how to know when this arrangement should be pursued, and how to optimize the experience for all involved. Both father and daughter have plenty of experience with home education as well as with advising parents who are exploring this option. Gordon has addressed many home schooling conferences over the years and was the keynote speaker and featured presenter for the first global conference on home education in Berlin in 2012. Tamara has been very involved in supporting educators in whatever setting they are in – home or school.
SUITABILITY/APPLICABILITY
The course is suitable to all who are interested in the core issues of education, but is focused particularly on the parents who are taking, or wish to take, more responsibility in their child's education. This course can also help equip parents who may have the luxury of school shopping, with the understandings necessary to inform their decisions.
SAMPLE TOPICS
- dispelling the myth of home schooling producing misfits
- factors that should be considered in making decisions
- the signs of a child in trouble as a learner
- how to deal with a lack of motivation to learn
- home education and children presenting with special needs
- how best to engage a home-educated child in learning
- the role of peer interaction in development
- what are the risks of home education and how best to manage them
- what should be the role of the parent in home education
- how best to preserve a child's curiosity
- how the home school advantage is best explained
COURSE OUTLINE
The course is structured into 4 sessions with each session including approximately one hour and twenty minutes of instructional video by Dr. Neufeld and Tamara Neufeld Strijack.
- Session 1 – Socialization Issues: dispelling the prevailing myths
In the first session, we take a look at the big picture of how children best become fit for society and for peer interaction. The purpose of this session is to equip parents and teachers with the conceptual tools they need not only to guide a child's path, but also to deal with the myriad of myths and superstitions in this arena because of the amount of ignorance that still exists. - Session 2 – The Relational Factor: why home education works so well
The second session is all about the empowering role of a child's attachments in the learning process. It is also about the major impediments to learning that exist when the attachments of a child are not aligned to those educating them or are not properly engaged. Harnessing this natural power is the role and challenge of anyone involved in a child's education, regardless of the venue. - Session 3 – Back to Basics: what students truly need
In the third session, we take on the idea that children NEED school to learn and develop. We explore the four things that a child truly needs to become all they were meant to be, including as learners. We also explore the role of parents in meeting these irreducible needs, whether their child is learning from home or from school. - Session 4 - Student Engagement: launching the learner from home
In the fourth session, we tackle the issue of student engagement. This is the most significant challenge of education, regardless of the path taken. Nothing is of greater concern to parents and teachers everywhere than how to get a student turned on to learning. We will explore two universal keys to student engagement and three specialty keys that are only to be used when the child is ready for them.
Inquiries
If you have questions or require additional information that you cannot find on our website or FAQ page, you may contact our office on our Inquiries page.
Charity & Non-Profit Status
The Neufeld Institute is a registered Canadian charitable organization under the name Neufeld Institute Foundation and is also registered as a NPO in British Columbia. If you would like to make a contribution to us, please go to our donation page.
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