Home schooling in the USA / Домашнее обучение в США
Many people think education occurs mainly within the classroom. They regard the school building as a bastion of knowledge
However, stepping aside the traditional education, the home schooler has the most extensive facility imaginable for learning — the community where they live. Home schoolers can consider their cities and towns "classrooms without walls" that offer a boundless curriculum with unlimited opportunities for unique, and often hands-on, experiences for students. As a home schooler, with a little preparation, every day can be a "field trip". Let's take a trip to the gas station as an example. What can you learn at a gas station?
A one-click Internet search for "First Gas Stations" reveals a wealth of information. The second step is to teach children how to ask good questions and how to demonstrate enough interest to deserve the answers. Help children think through all the things they are curious. You may even want to write their questions down. It's a good idea to call ahead and make an appointment with the owner or manager at a convenient time when they are free to answer your children questions. This is a good training in manners.
Learning at the everyday places you go, allows children to develop a real understanding of the world around them. Why just read about things in a book when you can experience them first hand? Experiential learning is the most interesting and most fun. It provides memories the children will treasure when they are grown.
By Joyce Johnson,
Словарь
a board member of the Indiana Foundation for Home Schooling
to occur — происходить, иметь место
a boundless curriculum — безграничная (свободная) программа обучения
hands-on — на практике, практически
a field trip — учебная экскурсия
a wealth of information — изобилие информации
at a convenient time — в удобное время
to experience smth first hand — испытать что-то на практике; испытать что-то на себе; знать по собственному опыту
to treasure memories — бережно хранить воспоминания
