by M.A. Noeth

Created on: December 17, 2008   Last Updated: June 04, 2009

Analysis in the Homeschool Classroom

Homeschooling makes quality education obtainable. Never containing a child's mind, it affords malleable lessons and endless possibilities. However, in order to embrace these opportunities, a child must become an independent learner. And this must be taught as well. With independent minds, children are prepared to meet the challenges they choose. Analysis is one of the most important gifts that homeschooling parents can give their children. Buttressing them with solid critical thinking skills, analysis enables children to tackle anything. It is this ability that will preserve your child's identity and individuality.

Too often, the very word "analysis" inflicts intimidation. This is a product of a variety of factors:

- Firstly, modern society promotes the immediate. Just like instant food and instant messaging, instant answers are optimum. Click a button on the computer, flip open the pages of a book, and the answer should be waiting.

- Secondly, straightforward answers are just plain comforting. What you see is what you get no surprises. Analysis suggests the possibility not only of "secretive" and "hidden" meanings, but also of nonexistent ones. No one can rely on uncertainty.

- Thirdly, from the educator's perspective analysis is difficult to teach. Teachers want to be sure they are teaching the correct material. Analytical answers cannot be easily verified.

- Fourthly, no one feels comfortable teaching analysis if his/her own analytical education was inadequate. Thus, a cyclical effect has plagued education and devalued analysis for too long.

Everyone Can Analyze:

But the TRUTH is even if you are not comfortable with your own analytical abilities, you CAN teach your child analysis. Analysis is not linear with a beginning or end. And it is not technically a skill that can be completely achieved. Hence, it is easy to join in the learning process. Just pick up where you are and continue to develop with your child every day. Analysis is an art. And it is only those who are not afraid to be completely wrong, that ever learn it. It is your analytical effort and dedication that your child will see. Nothing more.

What is Analysis?

Often the process of analysis has been compared to the construction of a car. With a car many parts enable it to move: wheels, engine, gears, etcetera. But suppose you take the car apart, inspect each piece separately, and determine how each

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