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TheHomeSchoolMom

Homeschooling help and encouragement from experienced homeschoolers - find out how homeschooling works and how to start, get tips & ideas for when things need adjusting, read curriculum reviews before buying, learn how online schools work, gain confidence about homeschooling high school, and more.

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Living Education by Oak Meadow

Living Education by Oak Meadow

Oak Meadow Enjoy these posts from the pages of Living Education, the seasonal journal from our contributing sponsor, Oak Meadow. Visit the online archives of Living Education to celebrate, explore, and get inspired with more in-depth articles, stories, and crafts brought to you by Oak Meadow faculty and families.

10 Ways to Tap into Community-Based Learning

Love Your Place: 10 Ways to Tap into Community-Based Learning

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Now more than ever, homeschoolers are looking to emerge from their homes and engage with the community around them. Whether you are new to an area, a temporary resident, or a lifelong inhabitant, learning about the place you live can lead to all sorts of new opportunities and adventures in learning. Here are 10 simple ways to start using your community to enliven your life and learning. Continue reading »

7 creative learning station ideas

Homeschool Classroom Setup: Using Learning Stations for Experiential Learning

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Learning stations for homeschooling can often accommodate students of varying levels—activity prompts and supplies can encompass different abilities. Your learning stations can be focused on themes and subjects from the curriculum (such as animal habitats or creative writing), or your spaces could be more freestyle. These ideas for 7 different learning stations will help you to offer space for children to create, explore, and enjoy. Continue reading »

Sideview of open notebook on wood table outside with hand holding a pen prepared to write and text What is Distance Learning - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

What Is Distance Learning?

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

One of the greatest things about homeschooling is having the freedom to experience education in a way that works best for your student and family. Often, this means enjoying educational models or philosophies that are uniquely designed to fit your family’s needs. One such model is distance learning. Continue reading »

10 Ways to Mark the End of Your Homeschool Year TheHomeSchoolMom

10 Ways to Mark the End of the Homeschool Year

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Is yours one of the many families whose “school year” has a beginning, an end, and then a break before the next year begins? Schooling at home is something to celebrate, and when the end of the year arrives, it presents an opportunity for joyful recognition and reflection. Here are some ideas for ways to make it memorable and special for your family. Continue reading »

Holiday crafts with kids

Holiday Crafts with Kids

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Holidays offer such a wonderful opportunity for crafting and creating. Thoughtfully handmade decorations and gifts always seem to have a willing recipient or admirer, and there is something special about creating something that will be seen and enjoyed by others. Whether you are someone for whom crafting comes naturally or someone who wants to find a way to make more creative opportunities for your children, there are many ways to weave crafts and activities into the holiday season. Continue reading »

How to Raise a Wild Child (and Why You Should) - TheHomeSchoolMom.com

How to Raise a “Wild Child” (and Why You Should!)

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

It turns out that children who have an immersive experience in nature develop a deep love of the environment that they carry with them their entire lives. Aside from significantly increasing the likelihood that they will actively work to preserve the important life-giving aspects of the environment as adults, an engagement with nature has other positive cognitive impacts, from an improved performance in school to a greater involvement and concern for community well-being. Here are some ways you can (safely) launch your child into the wild. Continue reading »

You're the Homeschool Expert on Your Kids!

Homeschooling: You're the Expert!

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Have you ever wondered how homeschooling works for ordinary parents? It’s true: Most of us do not have advanced degrees in education or child development. Most of us are just ordinary people who went to school like every other kid we knew and never imagined we’d be homeschooling our own children someday. How can an ordinary parent possibly be qualified to be a home teacher? Continue reading »

TheHomeSchoolMom Blog: A Seed of Love for Valentine's Day

A Seed of Love: A Valentine from Oak Meadow

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

An atmosphere in which real learning can occur exists where the children are nurtured and supported to explore their own personal interests, as well as the world around them. Sharing love is like sharing a treasure. Whether it be through expressing warm thoughts towards one another, opening up and sharing feelings with each other, or just spending some pleasant moments together, it is the essence of the learning process. Continue reading »

TheHomeSchoolMom Blog: 12 Ways to Help You Child Adapt to Homeschooling

12 Ways to Help Your Child Adapt to Learning at Home

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Have you recently made the switch from schooling to homeschooling—or are seriously considering it? It can take some time for your child (and you!) to adjust to this new way of learning and being in the world. Some students adapt quickly, but others need a longer transition period. If your child is struggling or needs help navigating the transition, here are some suggestions that may help... Continue reading »

Homeschooling Middle School: 8 ways to motivate teens

Homeschooling Middle School: 8 Ways to Motivate Young Teens

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

There is no doubt that middle school students can be difficult to engage at times, and this can be especially true for home teachers who are also parents. Middle school aged students are holding on so fiercely to their newly discovered independence, and at the same time they need some guidance while they learn to develop their own thoughts and opinions about the world around them. As your child's home teacher, you have the difficult position of being both the parent and the educator of your child who is quickly learning to assert themselves. Learning with middle school age student might require a shift in thinking and planning for the home teacher, but it can also be the start of a new dynamic in your homeschooling relationship. Continue reading »

10 Ways to Create & Maintain Balance as a Homeschooling Parent

10 Ways to Create and Maintain Balance as a Homeschooling Parent

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

1. Know your priorities. Be clear with yourself about what is most important. Make sure everyone in the family knows what those things are. Talk regularly about the reasons why your family does things the way you do. Be open with each other when it feels like it’s time to revisit or reaffirm your family’s priorities.
2. Always start with a plan, and be flexible enough to... Continue reading »

TheHomeSchoolMom Blog: Technology & Learning

Technology and Learning

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

When the modern homeschooling movement first began a few decades ago, the personal computer didn’t even exist, but now the majority of homeschooling families use a computer as part of their educational program. This not only reflects the growth of computers throughout our culture, but it also indicates that many homeschooling parents have assumed that computers can help children learn more effectively. But if we think that plugging every kid into a computer will transform education, we’re fooling ourselves – and potentially harming our children. Continue reading »

End of Year Homeschool Activities

10 Ideas for Making the End of the Year Special

by Living Education by Oak Meadow

Is yours one of the many families whose "school year" has a beginning, an end, and then a break before the next year begins? Schooling at home is something to celebrate, and when the end of the year arrives, it presents an opportunity for joyful recognition and reflection. Here are some ideas for ways to make it memorable and special for your family.Is yours one of the many families whose "school year" has a beginning, an end, and then a break before the next year begins? Schooling at home is something to celebrate, and when the end of the year arrives, it presents an opportunity for joyful recognition and reflection. Here are some ideas for ways to make it memorable and special for your family. Continue reading »

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