Elizabeth Foss's Real Learning is a beautiful homeschooling book. Back in 2000, when I first started homeschooling, I was a member of the Catholic Charlotte Mason Yahoo Group (and still am.) I was delighted to find an online discussion group that so closely resembled what I envisioned homeschooling to be. Truthfully, my picture of "homeschooling" hadn't fully crystallized, but I knew this much: I wanted home education to nurture a love of books, reading, writing, learning, and God's creation. Charlotte Mason's ideas embodied much of what I hoped to see happen. Combined with the unschooling ideas of John Holt and others, and seasoned with the timeless goals of a classical education, I set out to create an environment for my children that would help them "learn to learn" ... and love to learn.
This is what "Real Learning" is all about, and that's why I love this book. Woven throughout are essays that wind their way into a home-educating mother's heart. This happens because Elizabeth Foss understands that educating our children is never solely about the academics ... it's about reaching our children's hearts, as well as their minds. When we try to separate those two things, we do an injustice to both our children and to their education.
These introductory comments are my long-winded way of saying that Elizabeth now has a Real Learning blog and I, for one, am delighted. Elizabeth Foss is a gifted writer, one who communicates from her heart and soul, and now we can all be nourished by that a little more often through her blog.
Grab a cup of coffee, and explore. That's real learning.
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