Educational Philosophy

I was perusing my local library's catalog for homeschooling books and ran across Homeschooling the Early Years by Linda Dobson. It is a good resource and was very encouraging and inspiring to read, but I especially loved this quote:

Once you start learning where you live-and living where you learn-the artificial
lines between the two grow less defined and, for the very fortunate, fade
away. When living and learning blend, both are transformed, and the whole
becomes greater than the sum of its parts. This living/learning blend can
never occur in an institution. It's available only from home, the most
love-filled environment accessible to any of us. Living and learning
together, homeschooling families nurture the whole child, head and heart, in a
comfortable, warm, and secure setting.

She has explained so well what I have tried to verbalize about the artificial boxes (academic subjects) we place our students in in order to get and "education." And institutionalized education really only works on the head, not the heart. I'm not talking about the lack of Bible or character education (although that's part of what's missing) but rather the heart. That love for learning and the life connections that I just don't see in public schools. Learning shouldn't be something you do for 12 years and then just stop. I want that transforming mix of learning and living as I educate my children.

Last week I got together with a few friends who either are or are considering homeschooling. We shared ideas, resources and inspirations and had a really great time together. One of the women shared the idea of creating a personal philosophy of education. I think this is a great thing to do. I am open to changing my educational philosophy as time goes on and circumstances change, but I think it would be good to get down on paper the direction I would like to take and the ideals I hold to. I intend to work on this over the summer so that I can make sure I am staying true to my core values and goals,so ask me in June how it's going! I'm looking forward to really thinking over and wrestling with the goals and desires I have for my children.