Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Homeschooling allows children to explore the world around them. On today's Home School Heartbeat, Mike Smith describes how the freedom to explore influenced a great American scientist.

Mike Smith:


Even before his death in 1943, George Washington Carver had become a legend. Known as "the peanut scientist," he was an American success story, having worked his way up from poverty to national fame. Today, we know him as the man who popularized peanut butter and developed over a hundred uses for the sweet potato. But did you know that this brilliant man was homeschooled for the first 10 years of his life?


George Washington Carver was born into slavery in Missouri. His mother was kidnapped when he was still an infant, leaving him an orphan. However, his owners adopted him as their own son, continuing to raise him after the Civil War had freed all of the slaves. The Carvers were poor farmers, unable to afford a formal education for George. However, they did teach him to read. And they allowed him free rein to explore his surroundings. He was full of questions about the things he discovered. He later recalled, "I wanted to know every strange stone, flower, insect, bird, or beast."


In your homeschool, you can give your children that same freedom to explore. Teach them to be observant, to ask questions, and to track down answers. By allowing your children's natural curiosity to motivate them, you'll build a foundation of enthusiastic learning that will inspire them throughout their lives.


And until next time, I'm Mike Smith.