I discovered the child-led approach simply by paying attention to what worked. If my child wasn’t interested, learning simply didn't happen. You can’t force someone to want something, but a good teacher’s enthusiasm can be contagious, and it is possible to inspire interest.

But why go to such lengths when interest is already present? Skills in reading, writing, analysis, communication, presentation (and more), are much easier to acquire when the student’s interest is at the center. Yet I was unprepared for the real results of this approach. My children found their direction much earlier than I had thought possible, seeking higher learning in their chosen areas when they were barely middle school age.

With that in mind, here are 10 reasons why self-directed learning works so well: