Dialogue and Detail

Thinking promotes learning that sticks. Teaching and encouraging discovery with the TRrIMMED steps listed will give opportunities for dialogue. Ask leading questions, such as, “How does this event reflect the way man thinks about God?” Design questions with purpose to encourage your children to mull over their discoveries, giving thoughtful answers. Dialogue of this type should happen throughout each day over many topics, but certainly over your children’s current studies. Children also benefit from detailing or writing about what they have learned, including their thoughts and conclusions. Dialogue and detail help us to follow the common thread that runs through each of the activities used to explore the topic. We do not want a collection of disjointed experiences, but a neat package, all wrapped up and presented with a sticky bow.

Is history a boring progression of names, dates, and places? Not when you teach sticky history! 

Carmen Rockett enjoys sticky history with her children at her north-east Texas home and in the surrounding area. She’s honored to be married to a Naval Intelligence officer promoting liberty and democracy in foreign lands. God has blessed them together with two graduates and four remaining home-taught children.

Note: Many of the ideas for activities and projects mentioned for history of flight, ships, and boats can be found in the KONOS curriculum guide, with further encouragement available by subscribing to HomeSchoolMentor at http://www.homeschoolmentor.com/.

This article was originally published in the Nov/Dec ’08 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. Get more great homeschooling help by downloading our FREE report entitled “The Secret to Homeschooling Freedom” by visiting http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com/resources/report.htm