E.1 Intro to Hatching Curiosity Show Notes

Podcast Episode #1 An Introduction to Hatching Curiosity

This podcast was created to support homeschool parents as they raise innovators by cultivating curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Learn a bit about where “Hatching Curiosity” comes from, my backstory and teaching philosophy and what will be covered in podcasts to come.

This episode is mainly an intro post to the scope of the podcast which will focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, investment, curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and other principles of education found in popular home school philosophies. Some of the main subjects/styles these skills are taught are through the humanities, geography, and nature study. Future episodes will expand on these principles and give tactical tips on how to implement them in your homes.

As your host, I am a homeschooling mom to 3 boys, an entrepreneur, and a budding artist. I love books, the outdoors, science and art and have a bachelor’s degree in Advertising. My homeschool philosophy is very eclectic but I have a soft spot for Montessori, Charlotte Mason, and World schooling.

What is one home school principal or style at the heart of what you do?

And join the conversation on Instagram @hatching curiosity.

Full Episode script

You’re listing to episode 1 An Introduction to Hatching Curiosity

The mission of Hatching Curiosity to help homeschooling families cultivate innovators through curiosity, creativity and critical thinking.

A little about Hatching Curiosity: The name came about when I needed a name for my Etsy store I opened in 2017 selling nature study learning materials. It is a play on words with my last name being Hatch and what matters to me most which is an atmosphere of curiosity. I just love those little “aha!” moments kids have when they discover new things and wanted to capture the beauty of that love of learning. The product lines grew along with my vision as I better defined my academic goals. It turned into a passion for igniting a love of learning and reviving some of the lost subjects of nature study, drawing, geography and planting seeds for the arts and humanities.

The love of learning is at the heart of everything I do. As you may have guessed already, I am a homeschool mom to 3 wonderful and very different little boys. My days are filled with loud truck noises, messes, and endless talk about Harry Potter (or whatever the newest obsession is) and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have been blessed with an amazing homeschooling community even before I started in Utah, supportive friends in Alaska, and an incredible homeschooling CoOp here in Idaho and I just need to give a shout out to my sisters, because the work we do is so important and it makes all the difference in the world to have friends who understand why you do what you do and can give you a Pepsi or a shoulder when you need it.

As a new homeschooling mom years ago I did want many new homeschooling moms do as I researched philosophies of education. At first it was totally overwhelming. Over time I came to love principles from many of the philosophies as I understood them better. I would consider my self a very eclectic homeschooler to this day but I appreciate what I’ve learned from the ideas of Charlotte Mason, Montessori, Classical, Thomas Jefferson Education, and Worldschooling. Some of the concepts I’ve incorporated into what I do are: Education is an Atmosphere. A concept shared by Montessori and Charlotte Mason. Self-Discovery and Child Led learning which come from Montessori and unschooling. Living books which can transport you to another time and place, I first hear the definition from Charlotte Mason.  Learning our roots courtesy of Classical education that studies Latin as the base of language, logic as the base of thought, and history as a base of human behavior. I agree with Miss Charlotte that children are born persons. When my oldest was born he wasn’t at all what I was expecting. He came with his little personality and I wouldn’t change it for the world. He has always had a logical intelligence just like my youngest has an innate spatial intelligence. They are people capable of a full spectrum of understanding and gifts of their own from the very beginning. I believe in creating a love of learning as taught in TJED and think the worldschoolers absolutely have it right when it comes to TRULY seeing the world for its beauty and diversity.

As I decided to homeschool my own children I did it for many reasons. The first of which was the beautiful lifestyle and customization of their education. The 2nd was because I saw a real need for a new style of education.

Our current system was developed for the industrial age to produce factory workers and soldiers. Even at that time wealthy families paid for a classical style education at private schools knowing that the public schools would not serve them best.

Ironically when the nation was founded and most of the nation was either private or homeschooled we were one of the most literate societies on earth. Now, sadly, we are not. The US is simply not keeping up with most developed nations on an array of educational standards.

I also saw the need firsthand. Not to brag or anything but I was an excellent student. I knew how to work the system and take the tests. I was told that if I got good grades, I’d get into college, then land a good job. I’d buy a home that always appreciates and live my life with a white picket fence.

Now, many of the millennial generation became disillusioned as they entered the workforce, but my story has a special nuance in that I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising in 2007. Do you know what happened in 2006? Facebook was invented. I actually joined Facebook when you still needed a collage email address to join. We new then that print media was on the decline, but we didn’t yet know what would replace it. At the time internet marketing was really spammy and obnoxious and not particularly effective. Yet, before the ink was even dry on my diploma my degree was nearly obsolete.

Let me be clear. Education is not a waste. I grew a lot as a person at college and I prefer my Doctors, Lawyers, and Engineers to know what they are doing. However, many of the non “skill specific” degrees can now be outsourced to webinars, YouTube, blogs, podcasts and other formats that can keep up with the ever changing climate of the information age. If you need to know something, you’ll be able to find it on the web. The world is changing at a faster rate than ever before in human history. Yet how has the education system changed in the last 50 years?

If it is no longer “what you know”, since you can find what you need when you need it, what is it that will give you a competitive advantage?

I believe it is to some extent what it has always been. Strength of Character. In our grandparent’s generation it was all about hard work, knowledge, and company loyalty. These things were rewarded with advancement, prestige, and a good pension. (I don’t even think my teenage nieces and nephews know what a pension is!) Those values suited those times.

In our world with a global economy, technology advancing at an exponential rate, and information available in our pockets, who do you think will come out on top?

I believe it will be the innovators, entrepreneurs and investors.

Innovators are thought leaders who come up with new ideas through curiosity and creativity. Entrepreneurs have the courage to start new businesses. They move ideas to reality through grit, hard work, and a near lunatic level of optimism. Investors see value before others. They do this by measuring, analyzing, evaluating and criticizing their options then being decisive. Honestly, I view them all as innovators in their own flavor.

Innovators need to be adaptable.  In being adaptable you know that any information you need can be found when you need it but loving to learn and cultivating virtues like: grit, work ethic, curiosity, creativity and the ability to problem solve make it so you can do anything. They are the values of the future.

We accomplish grit and work ethic through work. Honesty chores and other farm projects will teach my boys that they can do hard things. That and I tell them daily. “I can do hard things” is our family motto designed to ingrain resiliency.

In my curriculum and other pursuits, I make a conscious effort to create opportunities for curiosity, creativity and critical thinking because those three keys unlock so many other opportunities for understanding.

Curious people’s strength is in seeing what other’s don’t. They see what is there! Not just what they expect or want to see. They are constantly asking questions and pushing boundaries. Now if this sounds like every 3-year-old ever. It is because that is where the phrase “childlike curiosity” comes from. Children have the innate ability to wonder and be astonished by the world around them. Curious people are also never bored. I know this because I am one. I am constantly trying new things, starting new projects (that I don’t necessarily always finish), and am hungering to learn more about the world around me. If you saw my browser history, you would think I am one random babe and it is just because I find new things endlessly fascinating. My husband teases me that I have too many “tabs open” in my mind at any given moment. Yet that means that I am never at a loss for things to do or discover.

Creative people’s strength is in creating solutions where other’s don’t. When you first hear the phrase “creative person” many people picture an artist and artists truly are a great definition of creativity, however, do you ever think of an engineer or a mathematician when you hear the word creative? Any leap of knowledge we’ve had in human history was due at least impart to creativity. Someone had to be willing to make previously unknown connections or to think outside of the box. Creative people allow themselves to explore new ideas freely- without constraint and the best creatives know how to reflect and articulate those ideas effectively. Creative people see the beauty in the world and in its puzzles and paradoxes.

Critical people are critically important. They get a bad rap because no one wants to be known as the judgmental person or for criticizing others. Yet their strength is in seeing problems where other’s don’t.  If you can see the problem, that is the first step in finding a solution. How many heartaches could have been prevented if you were able to have seen a problem before it was too late. Being willing to analyze a situation makes the outcome stronger if the problems are fixed before moving forward. Discerning people tend to be wise and get a sense of accomplishment from their work.

My whole world changed when I realized that I could figure anything out with the right tools and enough time. So many opportunities opened when I knew that I had the power to change my life. So that is what I am doing with my kids. Opening the world to them so they can see the beauty in it and have the confidence and ability to add to it.

When your kids grow up what do you want them to be? While it may vary family to family most parents would say foremost, they want their kids to be happy.

Being an innovator has its financial and career advantages, but it is also a mindset that will make you deeply and profoundly happy as you tap into your best self to find purpose and meaning in your work.

In this podcast we will tackle how to cultivate this mindset through principles from many philosophies of education and using some of the “lost subjects”. There will be tactical tips and food for thought.

I hope you join us next time, until then join the conversation on Instagram by answering “What principles do you view as most important in your child’s education?”

Until then, stay curious!