Some people know they will homeschool before their children are born. Some begin homeschooling after their children spend some time in school, but then they decide to homeschool “forever” — or at least, for years. Others decide to take it “a year at a time,” but the implication is that if it works out, homeschooling will be ongoing. And then there are short-term homeschoolers… Continue reading »
/>
Creative Writing Using Story Enrichment Paper Chains
by Karen Doll
Children’s minds are bubbling over with stories — funny stories, anecdotes about life going on around them, recaps of play dates with friends, and tall tales that grow taller by the minute. As a long-time homeschool mom, it was my job to tap into those bubbles of creativity and help my children put words to those amazing stories. That’s not as easy as it sounds. Continue reading »
/>
12 Strategies for Nurturing a Strong Connection with Your Child
by Living Education Contributor
As we move through the years of parenting and homeschooling, maintaining our connection with our children is essential. Nurturing this connection is the most important thing we can do as parents. We sometimes hear parents lamenting that they feel they’ve lost the connection with their child and are not sure how to get it back. Continue reading »
/>
Homeschool Summer Learning
by Online Education Contributor
It’s tough to think about learning when there’s so much fun to be had, and we understand! That’s why you’ll find five learning loss statistics below along with five suggestions on how to help your kids avoid the notorious “summer brain drain.” Continue reading »
/>
Finding Friends at Homeschool Park Days
by Jeanne Faulconer
Many official homeschool groups and co-ops, as well as loose knit homeschooling companions, gather regularly at community parks throughout the United States. The “park day” is the activity that has the lowest barrier to entry for new homeschooling families. Homeschool Park Days are held at public parks, so people can come and go, and there is no cost or commitment for joining a group because you’re not joining a group. Continue reading »
/>
Homeschooling: You’re the Expert!
by Living Education Contributor
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 »
/>
Adulting 101: Daily Resources for Financial Literacy Month
by Tim Ranzetta
This calendar for Financial Literacy Month has ideas and activities that will engage and educate your middle school and high school students. These FREE resources can be used sequentially, or you can pick and choose to suit the needs of your students. Continue reading »
/>
Instead of Curriculum: Boomerang Audio Magazine
by Jeanne Faulconer
Those of us who have been homeschooling a while know that sometimes the best resources aren’t the newest or flashiest. That’s the case with Boomerang Audio Magazine for kids. A big benefit of these audio resources is that kids can be busy doing other things with their hands or bodies while listening. For some kids, this actually enhances learning, because they’re not focused on having to keep still, which can take a lot of energy. Continue reading »
/>
Year Round Homeschooling: 5 Tips for a Successful Year
by Karen Doll
I remember our first day of homeschooling like it was yesterday. In the beginning, we followed the traditional public school schedule. This was new territory for me, and I felt safe wrapped in tradition. Later, I no longer needed the safety net of tradition. I had evolved. It felt freeing. After a bit of trial and error, we discovered year round homeschooling. I was in love. Continue reading »
/>
Homeschool Mom Survival Gear
by Jeanne Faulconer
How do we do it? Schlep our kids to activities, keep up with the errands, haul around all those overdue library books, and homeschool, without losing our minds? Continue reading »
/>
Banish Homeschool Burnout in One Week!
by Online Education Contributor
As a homeschooler, there comes a point, perhaps several points during your homeschool career, when everyone starts feeling burnt out. The kids are bored, you’re at your wit’s end and as much as you don’t want to admit it, the thought has crossed your mind to send them back to school and throw in the towel. Continue reading »
/>
Poetry, Percentages, and Pups
by Karen Doll
Do you want to boost your children’s learning? Homeschooling with your dog can work wonders. The beauty of homeschooling is the freedom to learn anywhere, any time, and alongside your favorite pup. Kids and dogs share a strong bond. Continue reading »
/>
Homeschooling the U.S. Presidency
by Jeanne Faulconer
Are you homeschooling the presidency? No matter our political views, there are issues brought up by the 2016 U.S. election and current presidency that our children can learn from. As homeschoolers, we can help them learn about government through most of their homeschooling years, even without an official course. Continue reading »
/>
A Seed of Love: A Valentine from Oak Meadow
by Living Education Contributor
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 »
/>
Playful Path: The Most Necessary Book You’ll Ever Get For Free
by Laura Grace Weldon
Bernie DeKoven may be a guru of fun but he’s got a serious message for all of us. We need more playfulness! This game designer and fun theorist was a pioneer in computer game design and instrumental in the New Games movement. His new book, A Playful Path, is jam-packed with awesomeness. It’s made up of tools and ideas to inspire the possibility-building, wide-open glory of playfulness. Continue reading »
/>
3 Tips for the Accidental Homeschooler
by Online Education Contributor
It may be a new year, but for those of us with school-aged children, we are actually in the middle of the school year. This is usually the time of year when many frustrated parents make the transition to homeschooling. These are the families we have affectionately called “accidental homeschoolers.” Why? Because they never had any intention to homeschool. But an unforeseen circumstance happened along the way — perhaps a bullying issue, an illness, or a gifted child not being challenged enough, and the parents had to ask themselves, “What do we do now?” Continue reading »
/>
Mid-Year Homeschooling: Connection, Not Curriculum
by Jeanne Faulconer
Did you or someone you know just start homeschooling “after the holidays” – right in the middle of the school year? “What curriculum should I use?” Even among experienced homeschoolers, January ruminations run toward assessing the curriculum and whether it is working. I know you don’t want to hear this – but your homeschool priority should be connection, not curriculum. Continue reading »
/>
12 Ways to Help Your Child Adapt to Learning at Home
by Living Education Contributor
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 »
/>
Homeschool Reset with the “Let’s” Effect
by Jeanne Faulconer
One way to make homeschooling more effective is to get involved on the child’s level. You each carry a basket for treasures you’ll find on your walk together. You sit down and paint your not-very-good-painting while your child paints at the table with you. You take your child to the library and model looking up a book in the computer catalogue; then you and your child search among the Dewey Decimal numbers on the shelf to see who can spot the book first. Let’s explore the “Let’s” Effect. Continue reading »
/>
Ask Jeanne: Is My Wife Really Homeschooling?
by Jeanne Faulconer
Question: My wife has been homeschooling my 6 and 8 year old daughters for almost 2 years now. At first I was against it but after it caused friction in my home, I decided to support her. Lately, I have been in a dilemma. I’ve noticed that my wife hasn’t done any school work with my kids for months now (about 2 months to be exact). Anytime I mention if they she have done school with the kids, she gets highly upset… Continue reading »
/>
