My sweet husband returned to school to get an undergraduate degree and finished when he was 42 years old. During this time, I heard people question his decision.
Optimal learning experiences occur while cooking with children.
- Was it worth his time?
- Didn’t cost too much?
- Was the return good enough?
- Was he too old to learn?
He was constantly criticized for his choice. When he graduated, these same people applauded him. One person said, “I never thought you’d be able to do it!”
I was devastated! How could anyone think that?
He has become a wonderful example of learning. He constantly seeks to learn and encourages others to do the same. One day this past summer, a man lamented to Kerry about his lack of income and how he hated his job. Kerry asked him why he didn’t return to school or pursue some kind of professional training to improve his career. The quick response was that the thirty-something man was too old.
I loved my husband’s response. “How old will you be in four years if you get this education?”
The man replied.
“How old will you be in four years if you don’t get this education?”
Just continue learning. Find ways daily to improve yourself. Try something new. There are so many ways to do this.
Our favorite to cook together. (Click on image.)
I know I’ve shared before of how much I love cooking and teaching my children in the kitchen. In fact, I encourage it. This past weekend, my daughter wondered what mini-pies would taste like and did they have to be in a tin. Great question. We decided to try it.
We rolled out a bottom pie crust and covered it in raspberry jelly and then covered it with another pie crust. With a cookie cutter, we cut out the mini pies and baked them. What did we learn? It worked great. It was fun and they could be eaten without having to have a plate and fork. (That was an added benefit for the teenage girl who was on kitchen duty.)
Learning doesn’t have to be complicated. What are some ways you’ve demonstrated learning in your home?
By Tracy Atkinson
Tracy Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education and a master’s in higher education. Her passion is researching, studying and investigating the attributes related to self-directed learners. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden, Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent. She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.
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