Since I can't seem to find the time to compose my own thoughts and post them, I thought I'd direct you to someone who has managed to do so quite clearly and eloquently. Jeannie Fulbright (author of the Exploring God Through Creation, Elementary Apologia curriculum) has been writing a series of posts on Self Learning in the Homeschool. Self learning is one of the characteristics of homeschooled students which sets them apart from their traditional classroom counterparts. Jeannie offers practical instruction on how to facilitate such in your own children.
Self Learners in the Homeschool (intro)
Laying the Foundation: Moving Students from Dependence to Independence (focus on character development)
Steps to Self Learning (very practical) | 
