Homeschooling Isn't Just For Kids

I absolutely LOVE to learn new things. It keeps my mind active and life enjoyable. To me, learning is the meaning of life. There is so much to learn about in this life that we couldn't possibly learn it all.

But I'm damn sure gonna try!

As a writer, learning new things is imperative. In order for me to think of new ideas, I'm constantly reading, and studying. My coworkers call me a nerd, and I'm okay with that. Because I am. I admit it.

But we all need to continually learn. Our brains are hard-wired for learning. The more we learn, the more synapses we create, even as adults. This helps to fight neurological diseases such as Alzheimers. The saying really is true, if you don't use it, you lose it.

My latest thing is taking online classes, or MOOCs as they are called. Massively Open Online Courses. There are several websites that allow you to take courses from big name universities such as Stanford, Harvard and Duke, all for free!

I've taken a number of different courses including:

• Human Physiology - Duke University
• The Upper Limb - Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
• ADHD Through the Lifespan - Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
• Medical Neuroscience - Duke University
• Virology - Columbia University

I'm currently finishing The Upper Limb course, and I'm retaking the Medical Neuroscience course simply because it was so fascinating. Plus, they're going to dissect a real human brain and I just can't miss that!

You also get a statement of achievement if you get over a certain percentage in the class. So far, I've gotten two, and one of which I am particularly proud!

My Statement of Accomplishment for Medical Neuroscience

I thoroughly enjoyed this course, and I've found that it has really made a huge difference in the way I understand the visual system, which helps me at work.

And yes, I know my name is wrong, that's a long story.

At any rate, the point is learning new things keeps us interested in life, and that's what makes life worth living. Plus, Sam sees that I'm interested in learning, and since kids are such great imitators, she loves learning. She especially enjoys learning with me, like when we take lectures together, or do coloring pages together. It's also a great way for us to bond!

If you want to check out some of the free classes you can take on line, here are the three major online learning websites:

• Coursera
• EdX
• Udacity

There are a number of other websites that offer a wide range of courses. Here's a list. Many universities also offer online courses from their websites, such as Stanford and MIT. 

Just a warning though, if you start taking these classes while your kids are up, they may want to take the courses with you! :)