A few short quotes from Lifestyle of Learning books

From the book:

The Lifestyle of Learning Approach

by Marilyn Howshall

"About Curriculum and Subjects: Many of the 7 principles outlined in the four "Wisdom’s Way of Learning" books and supplemental materials (all the rest of her books that continue to develop the concepts in Wisdom's Way of Learning) have been applied for thousands of years without ever having labels attached to them. Godly child training, families minding their own business, and parents tending to the needs of their own children, discipling them to the Lord, apprenticing them, etc, -- these are all ancient and biblical educational principles. However, when one hears the term "educational approach" or "method" the tendency in this day and age is to ask, "Where’s the curriculum?" or "What will I be using this year?" A focus on irrelevant-to-the-student subject content that is delivered through a lifeless process is a lower order approach to education and one you will not find in the Lifestyle of Learning message. Our emphasis is on using the content of real life as God provides it – real life such as the family’s unique circumstances, lifestyle provisions, abilities, giftings, talents, skills, and interests of family members. Most people naturally desire a step-by-step outline of procedures for how to do something that is new and unfamiliar to them. It is common for academic curriculum to contain such guidelines to help you accomplish specific academic tasks."

From the book:

Get to Know Your Child

by Marilyn Howshall

"The child must have the privilege of developing many interests; to be taken seriously by parents who will provide the needed resources so the children can develop expertise in their fields of interest, and time needed to develop collections and abilities. There are fundamental requirements for developing self-motivation and vision in children. If the academic provision is largely a subject focus where parents are concerned about subject "gaps," then I believe the result could be the child’s ignorance of his purpose and an empty lifestyle that will follow him into his future; thus the TRUE gap! The development of many interests from a young age also develops in children purpose at home. They become productive, contributing and caring members of the family and family purpose. They enjoy their life at home because that is where they have developed strong purpose. They do not have to begin wandering or leaving home prematurely to look for a life! When they do leave, it will be because they know where they are going and with what purpose they go there, and not because they are just eager to go."

From the book:

My Journey in Search

for the Way

by Marilyn Howshall

"Somehow I would find a way (to homeschool). I did not know then that the way was not somewhere outside of myself in a method, program, or curriculum. It took years of search and hard toil to learn the simple truth that God was within me all the time, guiding, gently leading, until bit by bit the false ideas of man’s wisdom of how to educate and train up godly children, which had clouded my vision, simply began to fall away – one at a time. I was like a starving, thirsty infant. I spent the following three years touring the dry desert of curriculum, teacher’s manuals, guides, and scope-and-sequence charts. It seemed I left no stone unturned in my search for something that would satisfy my hungry and thirsty soul. Satellite programs were too demanding. The best traditional Christian curriculums were like eating cardboard instead of home-made bread. Even unit studies with had such an appeal for their innovative approach failed to do what I intuitively felt learning should be accomplishing in our home. I then began to combine a few tools from various resources to create a more eclectic approach, drawing from many sources, in the hopes that this would be more successful. Still, nothing satisfied. … While it felt wrong, I did not know at the time what was right. I somehow sensed that in God’s plan there had to be a complete but simple picture of education that would give me understanding rather than the fragmentation I had experienced thus far. There ha to be a simple system wherein I could focus on what was truly important without feeling like I was out of balance or allowing gaps in my children’s learning. Education simply had to be more than filling out endless workbook pages and reading the next chapter in the textbook."

From the book:

Develop a Lifestyle Routine

by Marilyn Howshall

"I found that the only schedule that works in our home is the one God gives me for each day. Therefore, the best way to accommodate this level of flexibility and still have order is to define blocks of time in which certain activities occur instead of the traditional and rigid hourly schedule that only works in institutions. I divide my day into 5 or 6 blocks of time and the can be arranged or rearranged in my day any way I need them to be according to our current schedule. They do not necessarily maintain the same beginning and ending times each day. There are too many unknown interrupters and legitimate brief detours that will take time away from completing tasks within the prescribed time-blocks."

And a few more excerpts from

The Lifestyle of Learning

Approach

by Marilyn Howshall

"A Lifestyle of Learning" can be a fresh beginning for the entire family" (Barb inserts: This is true whether you are just now starting to homeschool or have been doing it for years but are dissatisfied with the fruit you are seeing in your family.)

"My hope is to challenge you to seek God for a higher level of understanding about education and to encourage you to acquire vision for a wonderful new homeschool adventure, rich in His design for your individual family. Without vision, you will go unrestrained in too many directions."

"This purpose requires getting to know our children intimately if we are to learn to lead them into God’s will for their lives. No other learning approach is as accommodating to the Lord than simply using principles along the way of life to wisely apply in whatever fashion He shows you for each of your unique children."

"Learn to trust the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. It is God who made us to explore His creation; He knows how we develop and how we learn. He will personally direct and lead anyone who will turn to Him."