Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

We don't just learn from books. There's a world of knowledge at our fingertips—literally! Learn more on today's Home School Heartbeat with HSLDA President Mike Smith.

Mike Smith:


Have you ever stopped to think about all the different ways your children learn? They talk to neighbors, they try a new recipe, or listen to the radio. They read books, visit museums, and hike on nature trails. They learn by watching and listening, or by touching something with their hands. True learning takes place all the time, not just when our children open their schoolbooks.


George Washington Carver recognized the value of hands-on learning. Throughout his long career at Tuskegee Institute, his teaching style reflected his own distinctive education. Although many of George's students had never even finished elementary school, he knew how to help them learn the most complicated subjects. George held competitions among his botany students to see who could collect the most samples. He demonstrated the concepts he was teaching with plants and minerals he collected on his daily walks. He showed how chemistry and biology were related in a single plant. George used Tuskegee's 10-acre experiment station to provide further hands-on experience. As his students learned how to rotate crops, they were amazed when they realized that the process actually enriched the poor Alabama soil.


A popular and well-loved instructor, George Washington Carver inspired his students to enjoy learning by helping them discover knowledge inside as well as outside the classroom.


Until next time, I'm Mike Smith.