Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Books: "The Call Of The Wild + Free" By Ainsley Arment





The Call Of The Wild + Free
By Ainsley Arment
HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers; hardcover, $29.99; available today, September 3

Ainsley Arment was inspired by the spirit of naturalist and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, who wrote that "all good things are wild and free," when she created a growing online community of parents focused on providing a quality education at home, Wild + Free.


Arment, a mother and homeschooler of five, advocates that challenging children's intellectual abilities and nurturing their sense of curiosity, joy, and awe creates a path for a positive childhood rather than one driven by performance.

In the new book The Call Of The Wild + Free, Arment provides a new way to think about childhood and our goals for educating children by allowing them to experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood.

With four-color, lush photographs throughout, this practical guide provides all the information, inspiration, and advice needed to create a modern, quality, homeschool education. There is also guidance for parents, educators, and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids' traditional educations.

Some of the topics Arment covers includes:
  • Connecting with Your Kids - parents are the most meaningful part of a child's upbringing, but the average family spends only 36 minutes together each day.
  • Instruction vs. Learning - the goal of education needs a shift away from rote memorization and regurgitation of facts to how kids can apply knowledge to their lives in meaningful ways.
  • Individualized Attention - adopting education to a child's unique passions and learning styles
  • Reclaiming Childhood - as compared to overscheduled kids in traditional education, homeschooling offers time to delve more deeply and hands on into topics; study topics for longer periods; and offers quiet, inactive periods which leads to creative ideas and explorations.
This is a radial departure of the homeschool approach of the past, which included the stigma of socially awkward kids, conservative clothes, and a classroom setting replicated in the home.

The Wild + Free movement is focused on a love of nature, reading great books, pursuing interests and hobbies, making the entire world a classroom, and prolonging the wonder of childhood, an appealing philosophy that is unpacked in the pages of this book.

Arment co-hosts the weekly Wild + Free Podcast, and she lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband Ben and their five children. Find more information at www.bewildandfree.org.

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