According to one recent article, three states are now considering legislation that will allow 16 year olds to enter college to continue on with their education simply because the current offerings at their local high schools no longer meet the needs of so many. There is also the explosion of early entrance college programs awarding admission to youth who have exhausted K-12 options at earlier than expected ages.

So what can other parents do to ensure that their children won’t be left behind? Well in the previous article “You can Teach Your Child Accelerated Learning – Part 1″, we’ve identified some valuable pointers parents can use to assist or even accelerate their child’s learning experience. However for the benefit of review, the first policy is to demonstrate respect for the child. Others include setting a positive tone for the learning experience; introducing advance concepts that expand upon the material under study and a few other suggestions. These are all effective ways to promote academic achievement in the home.

Many parents however, tend to shy away from taking such an active role because of a lack of confidence in their ability to work with their child or the absence of time. Fortunately, there are full-proof resources available to address these challenges. One of course is the use of multimedia. The use of an educational DVD not only interjects another expert on the topic but tends to offer new perspectives and approaches that may connect with your child in ways never imagined. In my family, there is a line taken from one educational DVD series that my son and I still toss around jokingly several years after he had studied its content.

Computer software programs are another excellent means to assist your child with new concepts and reinforce old ones. Currently there exists extremely sophisticated software programs designed to break down subject material once thought to be intimidating to the average student. Take for instance a virtual dissection software program. It enables the student to virtually dissect animals without the burden of handling an actual specimen. The graphics and interactive tools are highly developed giving the sense of an actual real life dissection. There are other tech savvy programs available in mathematics and other subjects. A parent’s and student’s imagination combined with the use of good software programs will most certainly enrich the child’s learning experience and cover material that may very well be reserved for upper grade levels.

Obtaining educational resources from the local library, a teacher resource store or from the internet takes planning yes, but it doesn’t have to require a great deal of your time. In fact, teaching methods of certain educational concepts can require minimal effort if done effectively.

Ultimately, you as the parent will have to decide the level of importance of your child’s education and commit to whatever effort is required.

I value formal education because it teaches you how to find answers to questions that come up throughout your life. It also serves as a social preparation tool since it teaches you how to get along with other people.

But formal education isn’t the only learning experience we receive. There’s the so-called “school of hard knocks” that everybody gets lessons from eventually, and the more planned curriculum of self-education that not everyone benefits from. You learn all through your life one way or another.

Consider these examples:

All mid-teen aged kids in America dream of getting a driver’s license when they turn 16. They must learn their state’s driving laws, and how to drive, before they can pass the driving test.

When you’re ready to get a job, start a business, or both. Your first obligation is learn how to do the work.

When you become a mother or father, you need knowledge about how to raise kids. This is a tough one…most of us learn this stuff the hard way, and I don’t think anyone ever learns how to become the perfect parent.

Just ask your kids.

Most formal education happens in school because parents can’t teach for various reasons. Though there is a large home-schooling environment today.

What you get from formal education is the ability to learn (or how to find the answers you need to satisfy your obligations in life).

Your true learning comes once you’re away from the formal learning, preferably in a self-education process. That’s where you teach yourself, it’s where you learn what you need to survive and succeed.

Figure out what most interests you – that activity you enjoy more than anything else – the thing you want to make (or honestly feel is) your life’s work.

Then teach yourself all about it on your own.

You only need read an hour each day about that one thing. You can read more than that if you like, but reading only one hour each day for one year makes you knowledgeable about that subject.

Read about one subject for one hour every day for five years, and the world respects you as an expert on that subject. When you’re an expert people seek you out for the answers. As an expert you’re a very important person.

All because you learned how to learn from your formal education, used that knowledge to create a self-education course, and put it to use.

What about that social thing I mentioned earlier? You learn how to get along with others (or not depending on how you use your lessons). This social education is easier to learn away from home, you have more people to study.

In school, and out in the world, watch the people around you. Observe how they act and learn the different ways that you can interact with them.

Learn the basics of social interaction from your parents at home. Then, at the mall or grocery, you see people shopping and the different ways they act. And finally in school you see all the behaviors of other students and teachers. From these experiences you develop your manners, or lack thereof. How you put these experiences to use benefits your success or failure.

Education comes in many forms. Start with the formal, and use that as a foundation for building your successful future with a solid self-education program.

And don’t waste the lessons you get from those “hard knock” opportunities.

Joseph Jackson retired at the early age of 46, and now travels in his recreational vehicle, hitting scuba, camping, and kayaking destinations for playtime.
He enjoys writing reports and books to pass on his experience and knowledge to help others succeed. He also searches for, and makes available, products that improve the enjoyment of his playtime activities.