Sparking Independent Learning with Strewing
Parents suddenly at home for extended periods of time with their children regularly need breaks from being hands-on with the kids, whether it’s to get some focused work done or even just to engage in some much-needed self-care. But having kids self-directing their learning activities is a difficult transition for many parents and kids who are used to the rigid structures of school. While some kids may happily go along with whatever their parents tell them to do with little intervention or support needed, this is simply not realistic for most families.
What is realistic to develop self-directed learning is to create an environment where kids’ natural interests and curiosities are developed and encouraged. Independent learning must be fundamentally self-motivated — doing it because you want to do it drives independence. Veteran homeschoolers help spark interests and encourage independent learning using a concept called strewing.
Strewing involves providing interesting and intriguing invitations for kids to engage with and explore different physical items and ideas on their own. Strewing is not about pushing projects or books or ideas on kids; rather, it’s about providing them with opportunities to explore on their own with no assessment or judgment. If a kid is not interested in what the parent has strewn, that just means the kid is not interested in that particular thing; it does not mean that the parent or child is a failure in any way.
How to Strew
Start with identifying the kid’s current interests — no matter how non-academic or silly they may seem to the parent. No judgment here. If the kid is into video games or dogs or baking, then start with that.
Find items that could potentially build on or expand these interests; some ideas:
Books — big picture books, Guiness Books of World Records, graphic novels
Building items — LEGO, magnatiles, toothpicks and gumdrops, blocks
Scientific equipment — magnifying glasses, microscopes, measuring tape and rulers
Art supplies — paper, crayons, markers, glue sticks, boxes, googly eyes
Imaginative play — masks, old costume jewelry and clothes, hats
Plants and nature — rocks, pinecones, leaves, goldfish
Kitchen — food dyes, frosting, cornstarch and water
Virtual strewing — share links to videos, websites, podcasts, virtual events or classes the kid might find interesting; Pinterest boards and YouTube playlists are great ways to create virtual strewing areas
Find an area in the home where the parent can leave out a few items for kids to discover and engage with — the dining room table, the coffee table, the backyard are all good places to strew.
Each day, leave a few items out for kids to discover on their own. Don’t put everything out at once! The idea here is to spark different ideas every day.
The kid will not be interested in everything the parent strews, nor should they be. Parents should not take it personally or push kids to engage in things they show no interest in. Remember the reason for strewing is to encourage kids to develop their own interests, not the parent’s.
Lots of ideas out there about what to strew — Google “homeschool strewing” for more ideas; e.g.:
