Dr. Ben Carson – The Unlikely Scientist

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In our home, we read a lot of biographies of amazing people. We read of the courageousness of missionaries, the adventurousness of explorers and the wisdom of leaders in history. The kids admire how these people had goals and dreams and worked to accomplish them. Hopefully, they are being inspired by them.

It’s not hard to find heroes from the past, but what about heroes here in the present? What about amazing people that kids can look up to and by inspired by that are living right now?

We’ve been seeking out modern day extraordinary people. Dr. Ben Carson certainly fits the bill.

Dr. Ben Carson

The kids and I have been reading Gifted Hands, Kids Edition: The Ben Carson Story . It tells the story of the world renown neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson.

Dr. Carson was the youngest major division director in Johns Hopkins history, as director of pediatric neurosurgery. He was, also, the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins. His professional successes lead to hundreds of awards, including the Presidential Medal Of Freedom.

While his accolades are remarkable, it’s his life before his success that we find fascinating. Dr. Carson and his brother were raised in poverty by a single mother who worked day and night to provide for them. He was called the “dumbest kid in 5th grade” by his classmates, he faced racial prejudice and he struggled with anger issues as a teen. This does not sound like a prime candidate or for one of the most influential doctors of our time.

As we read Dr. Carson’s biography, the kids are learning that no matter what our circumstances are, we can overcome them to achieve our dreams. Dr. Carson had the dream of being a doctor from when he was young. He could have given up when things got tough and said  “It’s too hard”  or “I’m not smart enough.” He didn’t give up and now he has achieved far more than he ever dreamed possible.

Hear Dr. Carson Speak

The more I learn about Dr. Ben Carson, the more excited I get about being able to hear him speak live at the Great Homeschool Convention April 24-26, 2014 in Cincinnati. He will, also, be speaking at the convention in Greenville, SC March 20-22.

Are you attending a Great Homeschool Convention this year? Even if you have a local convention or aren’t a “convention-goer”, hearing Ben Carson speak just might be worth the trip! 

Want to learn more about Dr. Ben Carson? Read these post from other homeschool bloggers who are learning from the life of Dr. Carson.