Using Passions and Hobbies as Learning Tools

"Charis has this amazing passion for cooking that she had since she was little," Jennie explains. "We had to have a creative outlet, combining her passion for food with her need to study. And memorizing lists of vocabulary words is not only incredibly boring, but it doesn't really work. Engaging her in an activity she loved actually really gave her a true understanding of the vocabulary. She had to write. She had to incorporate these words to write about the recipes—a topic she liked."

With recent statistics released by the College Board showing a dip in average SAT scores in the U.S., this cookbook comes during a time that may illustrate the need for innovative teaching methods that match a child's learning style.

"Given the amazing diversity of children that are in all of the schools in the New York [metro area]," Jennie says, "teachers and parents have to come up with different ways for youth to learn."

Parents with kids in traditional schools can take a cue from Jennie and Charis's story. Examine the extracurricular activities your kids enjoy.

"If you can use your child's passions for learning," Jennie says, "they don't even realize they are learning—they are just doing what they love."