Well-Educated Heart FAQ’s
We love the Well-Educated Heart philosophy and we love sharing it with others. We use the WEH rotation schedule as the framework of our homeschool year. Rather than just focusing on cold hard facts, we can use heartwarming stories, poetry, fine art, music and nature to experience a topic and get acquainted with different people and cultures. We love to customize our learning by reading lots of books we want to read, poetry tea time, cooking international recipes, field trips, open-ended art projects, enjoying art and music and spending a lot of hours outside.
What is Well-Educated Heart?
Well-Educated Heart is the philosophy of learning that emphasizes tending to our hearts through story, music, art, poetry and nature. The mission statement for Well-Educated Heart is: We are dedicated to building a community of families who are learning to restore the lost art of educating hearts through the Arts. We seek to preserve a culture of faith, freedom and family and a love of the good, the true and the beautiful.
What is Libraries of Hope?
Libraries of Hope refers to all of the resources, books and learning tools to fulfill the purposes of the Well-Educated Heart philosophy. Books are sorted by topic and type of book. Enrichment pages offer suggested ideas of art, music, culinary and media enrichment activities.
What is Mother’s University?
Mother’s University is a collection of books, quotes, articles, podcasts, and videos about a general topic for mothers to learn, explore and ponder. These topics include A Mother’s Influence, Nature Study, Music, Art, Poetry, Storytelling, Imagination, History, Language Arts, Math, Science and Joy. If we want to be mothers that influence our children for good, we need to educate our own hearts. We can then show our children through example how to work, how to learn and how to enjoy the beautiful things of this world.
What is Mothers of Influence?
Mothers of Influence is a network of women across the world dedicated to the well-educated heart philosophy. Local Mothers of Influence or MOI groups are a way to connect with others learning and studying similar things, discuss ideas and support and encourage one another.
Is Well-Educated Heart a curriculum?
No, Well-Educated Heart and Libraries of Hope are not a curriculum. It is a free resource that includes thousands of digital collections of quality stories and books, book recommendations for various age groups, art, music, culinary and media enrichment ideas that complement history and cultural topics. Marlene Peterson has an ongoing podcast series that explores various influential people and interesting topics throughout history. The same book and story collections that are offered for free online can be purchased through the website if you prefer a hardcopy.
Who can use the Library of Hope and Well-Educated Heart resources?
Everyone is welcome to use these resources. You can use the Library of Hope resources if you homeschool, your children attend public or private school. You can use these resources if you have children, grandchildren or no children. You can use them to add good literature into your home, share enriching activities with your family and friends and supplement your homeschool with quality, inspiring ideas and possibilities.
What is the rotation schedule? Do I have to start at the beginning of the school year?
The rotation schedule utilizes the school year calendar to break American and World History into sections of study. Each month has suggested topics or time periods to learn about and study. Each month has suggested ideas of art, music, culinary and media enrichment activities.
The rotation schedule stays the same year after year. We learn and retain information through repetition. As you and your children grow, you will repeat topics and time periods from American and World History. But there will not be a lack of material. You can revisit your favorite stories, explore new rabbit holes, take detours based on current interests, study a specific person or event more in depth, and incorporate new books, traditions and experiences. It is all about building layers and making new connections.
You can begin using these resources at any time throughout the school year. Based on personal preference, you can start at the beginning of the rotation or go along with where the rotation is at in the year.
How do I get started?
You can get started by visiting librariesofhope.com and watching the orientation video and Catch the Vision intro course. These videos and articles will give you an overview of what Well-Educated heart is all about, what is offered, why they are important and ideas for how to use them.
How do I incorporate the WEH principles into my family, home or homeschool?
Start small. Start with something that really resonates with you. Or start with something you feel like your homeschool is lacking? Or start with something your family is excited about? Or start with something that you already have established in your routine but want to tweak? The point is to start. Whatever option you choose, there are so many good, true and beautiful resources to choose from that you can’t go wrong. Here are a few ideas:
Find a story from the Libraries of Hope website and read aloud
Make a recipe from a different country
Look at a beautiful piece of artwork and finish the statements, "I notice…”, I wonder….”, “This reminds me of…”
Start a poetry gems notebook by writing down a poem you like
Go outside and draw, sketch, color, or paint something from nature
Listen to a classical music piece
