The Learning Household

An expert guide to raising creative, passionate learners, from the bestselling author of What the Best College Teachers Do.

Children are eager learners. As anyone who has taken a car trip with a toddler will tell you, they have a seemingly endless urge to ask questions about whatever pops into their heads. And yet, many kids end up bored and alienated at school. What can parents do to sustain their natural curiosity?

In The Learning Household, educators Ken Bain and Marsha Marshall Bain argue that parents can do a lot. Too often, however, parents emphasize grades instead of instilling the creativity, grit, and enthusiasm necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world. At its best, school provides opportunities to cultivate innovation and apply knowledge to novel problems. But before children can experience such an education, parents must create "a learning household" in which they encourage children to ask thoughtful questions rather than memorize correct answers, to discover their passions rather than fret about report cards, and to take risks rather than worry about failing.

Providing dozens of activities that can be adapted to meet the needs of every family, The Learning Household is an essential guide to bringing curiosity back to the classroom and fostering an appreciation for the intrinsic value of learning.

About the Author

Ken Bain is President of the Best Teachers Institute. Previously, he was the founding director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Vanderbilt University and taught at New York University, Northwestern University, and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. His books include What the Best College Teachers Do, What the Best College Students Do, and Super Courses.

Marsha Marshall Bain is coordinator for the Best Teachers Institute. A writer and a researcher, she contributed significantly to What the Best College Teachers Do, What the Best College Students Do, and Super Courses.