Think back to when you were a kid. What fascinated you? What were you passionate about? How much time were you able to devote to those topics?
For many of us, the act of pursuing our true interests was relegated to small pockets of time in the evening after homework was finished, or on the weekends in between extracurricular activities and family time. But what if we’d had more freedom to explore and engage with the world around us, on our own terms?
There’s been a push lately for more child-directed or child-led time both in and out of the classroom. The concept of child-directed study is simple: it’s the idea that kids should choose their educational pursuits.
There are already movements that take this idea and run with it: there’s “unschooling,” which is a homeschooling philosophy that gives tremendous control of education to the student. Democratic Schools can be found across the country, where students and teachers have equal say in how the school is run and how the days are structured.
While these are examples of institutions or models that take child-directed study to the maximal end of the spectrum, child-led learning is becoming more of a norm across the board, no matter the setting. Many types of homeschooling families practice this in some form or another. Independent and private schools often dedicate time or entire classes toward student-focused projects and initiatives. And public schools are also finding value in the principle.
It might seem like giving children the chance to drive their education is in contrast to a structured school environment, but that’s not necessarily the case.
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Here are some ways to incorporate child-directed learning and invite kids to participate more in their education. These can be done in the classroom, after school at home or in shared community spaces where kids gather together, and while homeschooling.
- Assign open-ended projects.
- Allow children to choose their own topics when researching, writing, or investigating information.
- Let kids express themselves with a variety of media, instead of insisting on one format for an assignment.
- Give kids flexible free time during the day to work, read, play, build, or daydream.
- Ask children about their interests, then encourage them to really dig into the topics they find inspiring and fascinating.
- Stock the classroom or home with books, materials, and objects related to those pursuits. Go to the public library and help check out every book that has to do with this interest. Hop online and search for free videos, resources, lectures, or nearby workshops. It’s extraordinary how much material is available, across topics and fields of study.
- Take field trips that relate to these academic pursuits. That might mean visiting museums, touring historical sites, attending events, spending time out in nature, and much more!
- Check out online classes that are module-based, like on Outschool.com, which can fit nicely into a weekly schedule.
So, why is this trend of child-led study becoming more popular across the board?
Child-directed study can:
- Enhance brain structure and function, promoting executive function.
- Boost creativity.
- Foster independence.
- Grow self-confidence.
- Help foster responsibility.
- Build a growth-mindset.
- Improve social skills.
- Support curiosity and connection-building
Most importantly, allowing children to take the lead teaches them that learning can be fun.
One great way to begin bringing child-directed study into the day is by engaging kids in conversation first. Ask questions, mention pathways and rabbit holes for them to examine, and help kids think outside of the box. Then, encourage them in their ideas. Try not to offer criticism or tell them that their interests aren’t serious or a valuable use of their free time.
It’s helpful to view learning as something that happens all around us, every day-—not only during prescribed times at set locations. Giving children some power over their education and their studies can be transformative.
Don’t forget to receive a FREE 30 Day Habit Tracker download to help with your child-directed study!
Christie Megill is an editorial and marketing intern at Cardinal Rule Press and she spends most of her spare time reading children’s books. She has experience as a writer, elementary school teacher, curriculum developer, and literacy specialist.
Fikiria wakati ulipokuwa mtoto. Ni nini kilichokuvutia? Ulikuwa na shauku juu ya nini? Ulikuwa na wakati gani wa kujitolea kwa mada hizo? Kwa wengi wetu, tendo la kufuatia maslahi yetu ya kweli lilipunguzwa hadi vipindi vidogo vya wakati jioni baada ya kazi ya nyumbani kumalizika, au mwishoni mwa wiki kati ya shughuli za ziada na wakati wa familia. Lakini ingekuwaje ikiwa tungekuwa na uhuru zaidi wa kuchunguza na kushiriki na ulimwengu unaotuzunguka, kwa masharti yetu wenyewe? Kumekuwa na msukumo hivi karibuni kwa muda zaidi wa kuelekezwa na mtoto au kuongozwa na mtoto ndani na nje ya darasa. Dhana ya utafiti ulioelekezwa kwa mtoto ni rahisi: ni wazo kwamba watoto wanapaswa kuchagua shughuli zao za elimu. Tayari kuna harakati ambazo huchukua wazo hili na kukimbia nalo: kuna "unschooling", ambayo ni falsafa ya shule ya nyumbani ambayo inatoa udhibiti mkubwa wa elimu kwa mwanafunzi. Shule za kidemokrasia zinapatikana kote nchini, ambapo wanafunzi na walimu wana maoni sawa juu ya jinsi shule inavyoendeshwa na jinsi siku zinavyoundwa. Ingawa hizi ni mifano ya taasisi au mifano ambayo kuchukua kujifunza kuelekezwa kwa mtoto kwa mwisho wa wigo, kujifunza kuelekezwa kwa mtoto inakuwa zaidi ya kawaida katika bodi zote, bila kujali mazingira. Aina nyingi za familia za kufundisha nyumbani hufanya hivyo kwa njia fulani au nyingine. Shule huru na za kibinafsi mara nyingi hutumia wakati au madarasa yote kuelekea miradi na mipango inayolenga wanafunzi. Na shule za umma pia zinapata thamani katika kanuni hiyo. Inaweza kuonekana kama kutoa watoto nafasi ya kuendesha elimu yao ni kinyume na mazingira ya shule iliyoundwa, lakini hiyo si lazima iwe hivyo. Kupata bure 30 siku tabia kufuatilia download kwa ajili ya watoto wako Hapa kuna njia kadhaa za kuingiza kujifunza kwa kuelekezwa kwa mtoto na kuwaalika watoto kushiriki zaidi katika elimu yao. Hizi zinaweza kufanywa katika darasa, baada ya shule nyumbani au katika nafasi za pamoja za jamii ambapo watoto hukusanyika pamoja, na wakati wa shule ya nyumbani. - Toa miradi isiyo na mwisho. - Waruhusu watoto wachague mada zao wenyewe wanapochunguza, kuandika, au kuchunguza habari. - Wacha watoto wajieleze kwa njia mbalimbali, badala ya kusisitiza juu ya muundo mmoja kwa ajili ya mgawo. - Wape watoto wakati wa kupumzika wakati wa mchana wa kufanya kazi, kusoma, kucheza, kujenga, au kuota ndoto. - Waulize watoto kuhusu mapendezi yao, kisha uwahimize wachunguze kwa undani mada wanaoziona kuwa zenye kuchochea na zenye kuvutia. - Weka vitabu, vifaa, na vitu vinavyohusiana na shughuli hizo katika darasa au nyumbani. Nenda kwenye maktaba ya umma na uone vitabu vyote vinavyohusiana na jambo hilo. Kupata online na kutafuta video bure, rasilimali, mihadhara, au warsha karibu. Ni ajabu jinsi vifaa vingi vinavyopatikana, katika mada na nyanja za utafiti. - Chukua safari za shambani zinazohusiana na shughuli hizi za kitaaluma. Hilo laweza kumaanisha kutembelea majumba ya makumbusho, kutembelea maeneo ya kihistoria, kuhudhuria matukio, kutumia wakati nje katika mazingira, na mengi zaidi! Kwa mfano, unaweza kutumia programu ya masomo ya mtandaoni ya Outschool.com, ambayo inakuwezesha kupata mafunzo ya kila siku. Kwa nini mwelekeo wa kujifunza kwa watoto unaongezeka? Utafiti unaoelekezwa kwa mtoto waweza: - Kuboresha muundo na utendaji wa ubongo, kuendeleza utendaji wa utendaji. - Kuongeza ubunifu. - Kuendeleza uhuru. - Kukuza kujiamini. - Kusaidia kukuza daraka. - Kujenga mtazamo wa kukua. - Kuboresha ustadi wa kijamii. - Kuunga mkono udadisi na ujenzi wa uhusiano Muhimu zaidi, kuruhusu watoto kuchukua uongozi hufundisha kwamba kujifunza inaweza kuwa ya kufurahisha. Njia bora ya kuanza kuleta masomo ya watoto katika siku ni kwa kuingiza watoto katika mazungumzo kwanza. Kuuliza maswali, kutaja njia na mashimo ya sungura kwa ajili yao kuchunguza, na kusaidia watoto kufikiri nje ya sanduku. Kisha, uwatie moyo katika mawazo yao. Jaribu kutotoa ukosoaji au kuwaambia kwamba maslahi yao si ya kweli au matumizi yenye thamani ya wakati wao wa bure. Ni muhimu kuona kujifunza kama kitu kinachotokea karibu nasi, kila siku - si wakati tu uliowekwa katika maeneo yaliyowekwa. Kuwapa watoto nguvu juu ya elimu yao na masomo yao inaweza kuwa ya kubadilisha. Ukipata programu ya bure ya 30 ya siku ya kufuatilia tabia, unaweza kupata mafunzo ya bure ya 30 ya siku ya kufuatilia tabia. Christie Megill ni mhariri na masoko intern katika Cardinal Rule Press na yeye hutumia zaidi ya muda wake wa bure kusoma vitabu vya watoto. Ana uzoefu kama mwandishi, mwalimu wa shule ya msingi, msanidi programu, na mtaalamu wa kusoma na kuandika.