It was 1966, and an idealistic group of doctors thought there was a better way to both teach and learn medicine. These were the founding fathers of McMasters Medical School and Problem-Based Learning (PBL) . The goals of the McMaster’s programme were to focus on the individual rather than rote memorization and regurgitation of facts. …
We here at Insanitek value the pleasure and passion behind gaining knowledge. We don’t think life should be about stuffing information into your head for a test while skipping over the purpose of the information. That’s why we made this apprenticeship firm. It’s also why we build learning around projects: the project provides the structure, …
This post is insanely hard for me to write. We extol the virtues of homeschooling on a regular basis, but lately we’ve been actively looking for the cons. After all, everyone should be fully prepared for every eventuality in life. The first two cons of homeschooling we’ve found are on health. Immune system concern When …
Gettysburg: The Graphic History of America’s Most Famous Battle and the Turning Point of The Civil War by Wayne Vansant My rating: 3 of 5 stars So far in our military history section, we’ve covered several comic books by Wayne Vansant that infuses a bit of fun into our history classes. Plus, when you work …
A young mother approached our offices. She stood there with her wide-eyed 8-year-old whose angelic face was framed by frothy red curls. The mother hesitated until one of the educators beckoned her in with one hand while holding a basket of teaching supplies with the other. The mother stammered, “I want to teach my daughter …
This book review is part of an ongoing effort to help the homeschool community find fun, informative, and valuable books to add to their curriculum. I obtained this a copy of this book from one of the homeschooling mother’s we work with and was charged with both evaluating it and coming up with questions to …
The little red writing book : 20 powerful principles of structure, style, & readability by Brandon Royal My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is actually a pretty good reference book. I found it quick, easy to read. This is particularly good since I don’t really dig reading how to write books, but this little …
Human Body: A Visual Guide by Beverly McMillan My rating: 4 of 5 stars For the layman, aspiring anatomist or life scientist, Human Body: A Visual Guide is an excellent introduction to the human body. It is laid out in a very simple and straight-forward manner, starting with an overview of the body’s parts and …
The Periodic Kingdom: A Journey Into The Land Of The Chemical Elements by P.W. Atkins My rating: 4 of 5 stars Summary The Periodic Kingdom by Atkins is an accessible overview of basic chemistry. However, instead of presenting the information that the periodic table can tell us in a droll, textbook form, Atkins takes us …
I’ve had the pleasure of talking with Karen Lange, a veteran of the homeschooling community, about her new book Homeschool Co-ops 101. Karen is an amazing woman that, together with her family, has had 16+ years of homeschooling her own children, as well as serving as a support group coordinator and consultant for a New …