Dr. Kellie Rolstad from the University of Maryland contacted me last week about using By Heart: A mother’s story of children and learning at home in her graduate class. “I loved your book,” said Dr. Rolstad, a professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership.
How thrilling!
At the time of writing By Heart, I hoped it would be useful to parents, educators, and policy makers. I hoped it would increase understanding for home-based learning, which I consider a natural extension of parenting. I hoped that in some way it would have lasting value.
In the United States, home-based learning is old – old as colonial America, even older, as the way of Native Americans. Home-based learning is new — an idea that gained momentum in the 1970s and now counts 1.7 million (3.6%) of school age children, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
By Heart, published by Clover Valley Press, will be ten years-old this October.