The fussy mom. Are you acquainted with her? She is always commanding, demanding, interfering, intervening, redirecting, reminding, worrying, hurrying, hovering, and smothering, moralizing and mediating. FUSSINESS Many times during our journey I fell into the fussy mom syndrome, hijacking the joy God had for me, my children and our homeschool. Oftentimes it was because I was Read More
Is art education the unsolved mystery in your homeschool? It is for many moms—but it doesn’t have to be if you teach art the Charlotte Mason way! Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression.” Charlotte Mason believed art should be a staple in every child’s Read More
Training your child’s character can be likened to tending a garden. Nurturing to life the good character qualities you want to see grow and blossom. It’s about watching over what’s sprouting up and carefully cultivating that which will one day bear fruit. It requires tilling the soil and weeding out anything that is not fructiferous Read More
Free time in the homeschool is an art. One worth pursuing. It’s a long forgotten yet invaluable rhythm of education and is truly one of homeschooling’s best kept secrets. Not only is it necessary to understand the importance of free time, you need to know how to implement it into your homeschool day. Leisure was Read More
Narration is a game changer. It’s one of the things we got right in our homeschool. I can say this with confidence because I see in my adult children today that same love for learning that was cultivated through narration early in our homeschool—a love for learning that has carried them through their college studies and Read More
Because Excellence in a Science Education Matters My best selling, award-winning Apologia science series is the number one science curriculum for kindergarten through middle school. Not only are my books the number one rated science curricula on the market, chosen as a Cathy Duffy top pick, they will give your children a genuine love for science Read More
We all know that homeschooling is harder on some days than on others. When tears are flowing and the kids are slow as molasses, just getting through the three R’s can be a huge feat. We find ourselves letting everything else slide—you know, like science and history, or art and literature. It’s okay. It happens Read More
The philosophy behind my elementary science series was born out of my early experiences with science and God’s amazing creation. Here’s how it all began. My father was a geologist who owned an oil company. When I was a child, he would take my brothers and me to the lease. I was always fascinated by Read More
Many of you who have gone on to graduate a homeschooler have moments of nostalgia that make you stop and sigh. I call this phenomenon “homeschool nostalgia.” I had one such moment while watching a Youstream video of my daughter dancing in the Miss Georgia’s Outstanding Teen pageant. I watched the video and reminisced. Not Read More
Wondering how to homeschool? Just starting out and not sure where to begin? You’re not alone! For me, the hardest part was figuring out exactly what I needed to teach my child. What subjects were required for a homeschool education? What year should I teach each subject? Well, I found out it’s a lot simpler Read More
There are various homeschool methods and philosophies people use when educating their children. Some choose one and follow it all the way through, while others mix and match depending on what they want to accomplish. Still, some homeschoolers begin with one then change their methodologies as the years wear on and they begin to understand Read More
The thought of homeschooling can seem overwhelming at first. But like everything, if you take it one day at a time, you’ll find the reward far outweighs the sacrifice. In fact, you’ll discover homeschooling was not a sacrifice at all, but an investment. An investment in your family, your children’s character, and your life. Is it Read More
After reading the past posts, you now know everything you need to know to help your homeschooled child find the college of his dreams. Whew! It’s been quite a journey, but you’ve been faithful and you’re almost there. Now it’s time to let them go. Sending a child off to college can seem like a Read More
It is my desire that this College Prep: Admissions Essay post will clear up the mystery of the dreaded college essay!It’s the one part of the college application that causes students the most stress. But it doesn’t have to. The purpose of the admissions essay is simply to: Get to know your child better Find Read More
College visits are an important part of choosing the right school. They help your child get a feel for the campus, the students and professors, and the overall atmosphere of the institution. Visiting colleges inspires your child to finish strong while looking forward with anticipation to the day he moves into the dorm. My desire Read More
Although we need to discuss transcripts, college essays, and some other important college admissions items, I want to jump ahead to this post, College Prep: Paying for College, because this topic is a concern for so many. If you are worried about paying for college, be aware that there are many ways to make it Read More
Years ago, when homeschooling was new, colleges required personal interviews and thick portfolios outlining every detail of the homeschooled student’s high school coursework and experiences. Now that homeschooling is more mainstream, portfolios are no longer requested or required. However, in this post, College Prep: Portfolios, I’ll explain why they are still a good idea. Here are Read More
In a recent survey, I asked homeschoolers and test prep teachers what the typical point increase was for students who took an actual SAT or ACT test prep course and for students who did not. The results were what I expected but not what is generally reported in the media. Students who did not take Read More
Most universities and scholarship boards require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. This can be tricky for homeschoolers since colleges do not want letters from parents. When my daughter began her college application process, she had never completed a class outside the home except for an online dual enrollment course through Read More
Like AP exams, colleges put a lot of stock in the SAT Subject Tests, sometimes known as the SAT II tests. In fact, some Ivy League and top tier universities require at least two SAT Subject Tests to be taken before a student is even eligible to apply to that university. Like CLEP, the SAT Read More
CLEP has become quite popular in the homeschool community. You may be wondering, “What is CLEP?” Should I consider it for my child? In this post, College Prep: CLEP or Not? I’ll share the upside and downside of CLEP in college admissions. CLEP is a test created by the College Board to assess college level knowledge Read More
Now it’s time to talk about College Prep: Dual Enrollment. But what exactly is dual enrollment? It’s when a high school student takes college courses while in high school. The student is enrolled in both high school and college at the same time and the classes count for both high school and college credit. Dual Read More
In this post College Prep: AP Anyone? I’m giving away one of the secrets to wooing those admissions counselors and luring in an acceptance letter from the college of your child’s dreams. For academic hopefuls, the junior year matters. Time to spit shine that transcript! My daughter never took an AP class until her senior Read More
In the last blog, we talked about depth—not breadth—when pursuing extra curricular activities. In this one, College Prep: Standing Out, we’re going to talk about ways to get noticed in college admissions. Commitment, leadership, and long-term involvement are what colleges like to see. Homeschooled students have the rare opportunity to become experts in the fields Read More
Be Unique! Colleges look for students that “stand out” from among other applicants. They’re interested in those they feel will enhance their school and campus. That’s not to say a “typical” student can’t get in, but it helps to show that your child is special and can offer something unique to the student body and to Read More
So you know your child will need to take college entrance exams as part of the college admissions process, but which test should he take and when? This post, College Prep: SAT vs. ACT, explains the similarities and differences of the tests to help you think through which test is best for your child. The Read More
Colleges love extracurricular activities. So shouldn’t my child do as many as possible to impress the admissions committee? That seems to make sense but it’s not the case. Think not too many, not too few. Depth not breadth. Ultimately, do what you love in a way that shows the colleges the unique person you are. Read More
Ideally, ninth grade is the time to begin mapping out the courses your child will need in high school to graduate with a great college prep transcript. It’s okay to begin thinking through the courses in eighth grade or even later than ninth grade. My older daughter decided she wanted to go to college in Read More
Jumping through hoops. Yep. That’s what it boils down to. Navigating the road from high school to college can be tough. You’ve been told it’s easy. You’ve been told it’s hard. You’ve been encouraged. You’ve been discouraged. You’ve been given information. You’ve been given misinformation. Well now it’s time for the truth. But let me Read More
I often speak and write about nurturing our children’s gifts, talents, and passions—about encouraging their success. Homeschooling offers the unique opportunity to tailor our children’s education to their own personal bents. We don’t have to follow the standard scope and sequence designed for a typical student. The cookie-cutter mentality is often why students leave high Read More
Many educators promote the spiral or survey approach to education, wherein a child is exposed over and over again to minute amounts of a variety of science topics. Those supporting these approaches aim to “expose” the child to science each year giving a bit more information than was given the year before. This method has Read More
Some people leave the womb with a natural inclination toward spelling. For others, spelling is a lifelong struggle. I have children in both categories. With my natural spellers, I don’t think it mattered what curriculum I used. Spelling made sense to them. With my poor speller, who also struggled with dyslexia, well, let’s just say Read More
We all know how important knowledge is, but what about creative expression? Could it be that creativity is the missing link between joy and learning? Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” He believed creative expression to be an essential element of all academic Read More
At times we fall into what I call the perfection trap, demanding more from our children than they are capable of giving. Our reactions to their misbehavior can be harsh, lacking in the mercy God has for us. When we constantly communicate frustration with our children’s imperfections, we fail to portray Christ to them. If Read More
Is it not the cry of our hearts to pass on the love we have for God to our children—to live out our faith in a way that models it for them? When I’m walking closely with the Lord, I’m full of joy and excitement. Spending time with Him makes me more aware of His Read More
There are several philosophies and methodologies that homeschoolers use when educating their children. Some people choose one and follow it all the way through, others mix and match depending on what they want to accomplish, still others begin with one then change their methodologies as the years wear on and they begin to understand more Read More
There are several things I’ve learned over the years about teaching math in the homeschool. Undeniably, the first and most important element for imparting a solid math education is—drum roll please—to focus on the facts! Skip the skip counting and help your children memorize their math facts. Truly, it is the most important part of Read More
Despite what many might believe, a vast majority of homeschooled children say they have plenty of opportunities for socialization with other children and, as adults, come to excel in all measured areas of adult life, according to a new study. In short, homeschooling works! Study: Home-Schooled Children Excel as Adults Mon, Dec. 28, 2009 Read More
Over the years, I’ve shared my story at conferences and workshops about how God led me to teach my son to spell. As a result, I’ve received many queries about the program that I used. In essence, I did not use a program, but a procedure. I want to share it with you in the Read More
It fills me with awe and wonder that each of our children was chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Each was created for a particular purpose- a purpose God ordained in advance that they should pursue. Our children are all unique, created with different gifts, talents, abilities, interests, passions, dislikes, and preferences. All Read More
The post below was written during the time when I was entering the homestretch of homeschooling my oldest. These heart reflections and questions were born out of the startling realization I had only four more years with my daughter in the home. Lately, the thought of having only four more years of homeschooling my oldest Read More
Though we want to encourage our younger children to enjoy writing by keeping our critique to a minimum, there comes a time when evaluating your student’s writing must take priority, especially for upper level students. Though evaluating creative writing and narratives is highly subjective, by following the guidelines of what is commonly known as the Read More
I found my homeschooling days to go much more smoothly the times I produced lesson plans before the year began. There was more peace in the home and I experienced greater confidence. Lesson plans helped me so greatly because they reduced the stress of homeschooling on a daily basis. It worked best for me to create Read More
Creative and Academic writing are both important to teach in your homeschool; yet, of the two, academic writing is more necessary and useful for your child’s future success. Most homeschool courses that address writing focus on stories, descriptions, and other creative genres. The lessons attempt to pull the creative spark from the students, encouraging them to experiment Read More
Academic writing is simple, really. Almost too simple. You’ll soon be saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?” The Composition Code is simply a formula for academic writing. It’s the easiest way to teach homeschool writing. It’s not used in many other kinds of writing, though as an attorney, my husband uses the format loosely Read More
One kind of writing—academic writing—is rigid and procedural. It’s purposed purely to convey knowledge, data, and information. It’s orderly, organized, and follows a formula. It’s necessary. It can be dull. Anyone can master it. Everyone should master it. The other kind of writing—creative writing—is inspired and artistic. It entertains with word pictures, concepts, and deep Read More
Practically every college professor complains about the dramatic decline in writing skills of college students. “If you teach them nothing else, please,” they implore, “Teach them to write!” Writing, or the pedagogy of writing, has been somewhat of a fixation of mine. You see, ever since I learned that my husband—who doesn’t have a writer’s Read More
I recently ran into a sweet, godly homeschooling mother. She hesitantly shared with me that she may not be homeschooling her oldest through high school; instead she was considering private school. I could tell she was nervous to tell me, but I reassured her I didn’t judge her decision; after all, if God guides you Read More
Are you homeschooling from overflow or are you homeschooling on empty? Do you run out of steam halfway through the day or are you able to maintain joy and energy on the journey? God desires for us to minister to our family out of abundance, from the overflow of what He has poured into us. The Read More
Students who have developed a foundation of good character (no, not perfect children, but those who have a conscience about doing the right thing) and have gained personal responsibility for their education—with an eye set on the future—are prime candidates for self learning. The first step to moving toward self learning is to carefully select Read More
Laying a foundation of character is essential if you are to successfully move your child from dependence upon you as the teacher to independence and self learning. Obviously, children that are not yet reading need a lot of supervision. The same is true when teaching elementary students new concepts. In addition, when a Read More
As the idea of self learning in the homeschool began to take hold, I was asked to share some practical tips on how to move your children into a self learning lifestyle. Let me begin by saying I feel the biggest problem we find in government and private schools is that the students are taught to Read More
The benefits of journaling are countless. It was truly one of the best things we implemented into our homeschooling. Not only did my children enjoy journal writing, the time they put into journaling during the elementary years laid the foundation for academic writing in the middle and high school years. However, I did not allow my Read More
Do you have a late elementary homeschooler still struggling to read or spell? Don’t despair! I have a solution that worked for me and it will work for you! It’s called Phonics Intervention strangely published by Saxon Publishers. Why do I say strangely? Because it just does not seem like a Saxon product. The author is Read More
Narration is one of those treasures that, if done consistently, has potential for great reward. I believe it’s foundational to a successful homeschool education, reaping benefits far into the high school years. Here are some questions one homeschool mom asked about narration: My oldest is going into first grade and is reading probably at a Read More
Homeschool planning was something I enjoyed. It helped me stay in touch with my children’s needs, goals, interests, personality, and learning style. I always took these things into account when writing and evaluating each child’s plan. My oldest was an independent learner and my youngest a self-starter. One was overcoming dyslexia and the other was Read More
Where to begin? There are so many reasons why you should homeschool, the first being the freedom it affords you children—freedom to pursue an individualized education and life path that enables them to be true to themself and mature into the person God created them to be. Freedom Let’s begin with academic freedom. Sadly, our nation Read More
It can be rather discouraging for the homeschool mom when, after trying every method and motivation possible, a child simply refuses to write. If you’re in that boat, don’t despair! Many a homeschool mom has fought this battle and won, so you are not alone. There could be one of many reasons why your child Read More
I read a great quote that said, “If Satan can’t tempt us with destruction, he’ll tempt us with distraction.” How true for the homeschool mom! Our enemy tempts us to veer off God’s perfect path by distracting us with a plethora of “good” things: things that seem beneficial, that seem profitable, even necessary. Things that may Read More
Over the years homeschool moms have asked, “Why notebooks?” And to that I would have to say creating and using notebooks was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things we did in our homeschool. It honestly kept me afloat and from feeling discouraged or ineffective. In fact, notebooks even gave me a sense of accomplishment, Read More
Our children have heard us say that evolution isn’t true, yet we often aren’t sure how to explain why or in what way it isn’t true. The simple concept of microevolution versus macroevolution is a great to place to begin helping our children understand this important and foundational topic. If you aren’t sure what the difference Read More
Statistics show that most people would rather jump from an airplane than speak in public. Even more astonishing, the fear of speaking is greater than the fear of death. Most Americans, and most people in the world for that matter, prefer death over speaking to a crowd! Only five percent are capable and willing to Read More
When it comes to passion for a child’s educational success, nothing rivals a homeschool mom. We diligently research the latest methodologies and put to test the newest curriculum. We devour books on education, creating sophisticated lessons based on newfangled ideas. Yet Charlotte Mason found amazing success using the age old, timeless and simple tool of Read More
One of the most profound—and often under appreciated—methods of Charlotte Mason is her teachings on habits. How I wish I had known of this extremely influential concept when my children were younger, before they formed the bad habits we invested a lot of time undoing. Mason addresses the fascinating subject of attention: The Habit of Read More
Free time is one of the greatest benefits of a homeschool education. It gives students space to think and create, to pursue and develop their passions fully and deeply. I’m so pleased with how much my daughter accomplished with her free time even during the middle school years. When she was thirteen, she taught herself Read More
We’ve all heard this and that about how children need to get out in nature. Charlotte Mason advocated for nature study ruthlessly—demanding we gather our kids and a book and go sit outside somewhere natural, even if we have to take a twenty minute train ride every day to get there. She was passionate about Read More
Sometimes we must stop what we’re doing and address issues that come up in our family. When we have everything all planned out for our day or week, these interruptions can seem overwhelmingly burdensome. Yet, we must see them as part of God’s plan for the path we walk. I once found the morning interrupted Read More
Have you ever heard that God has an incredible sense of humor? It never fails that when I’m considering some spiritual concept, have some spiritual revelation, or especially if I’m supposed to teach or write something about a spiritual principal—I’m tested on it. Hence, paper jams and patience. I remember the day I was finishing Read More
I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many new homeschoolers that have just begun their homeschool journey. Most of them find homeschooling a delight. As they spend each day with their children, they begin to glimpse into the windows of their little hearts and see things they didn’t know were there—good things and not so Read More
I want to share some of the things we did for geography in our homeschool. Our method was not only educational, it was easy, and it included incorporating inspiring living books into our geography studies. Each summer at the homeschool convention we scoped out the YWAM booth. We would purchase all the Heroes of the Read More
Have you ever asked yourself, “Am I doing enough?” I certainly did in the early days of homeschooling. Why do you think every homeschool mom asks this question at one time or another? I believe the problem is that when you are doing enough—it feels too, too easy. So you think, I’m surely not doing Read More
Are homeschooled kids socially deprived? That’s what some people who don’t homeschool their children say. Of course these folks don’t understand the homeschool process or what socialization really looks like. Contrary to the conjecture of homeschool critics, I generally find homeschooled children to be remarkably bright, polite, and humble (this might have the appearance of social Read More
“What do you remember from what I just read?” I ask the gathering of children around me. Looking to the four year old, I encourage him to begin. “I learned that the sun is ninety-three miles away. It’s so far away that it would take a lot of years to fly there in a spaceship.” Read More
Were animals created thousands, even millions of years before man, hunting, devouring and destroying one another as they do now? Was there death on this earth before the fall of mankind? What is death? Death is when something with life dies. Does that mean plant death? No. God tells us in Leviticus and many other Read More
So we were all told that nature walks were part of Charlotte Mason’s education. Upon reading this, many of us promptly bought Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study, packed our pencils and nature journals—one set for each child—and drove to some lovely nature spot to explore and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. We hoped to Read More
As an author of homeschool books, I want so much to interact with and bless homeschool moms. It is my heart’s cry to encourage, build up, and say, “YOU CAN DO THIS!” to every mom I encounter with those weary and worried filled eyes. I seek to untie the heavy burdens they have strung upon Read More
When I first began to homeschool, I read all about a classical and Charlotte Mason education. Soaking up every bit of teaching available, I became increasingly convinced of the merits of memory work. We launched into memory work full speed ahead, memorizing a variety of lists, from poetry to ancient Egyptian kings. My five year Read More
One Easter, after sitting with my children in their fort and telling them the story of Christ, I watched as my oldest child hid resurrection eggs for her three younger siblings. Immediately, I was struck by the preciousness of the lives they live. The relationships they are forming will be a source of support and comfort to them Read More
For today’s homeschooler, the curriculum options for every subject are overwhelming. There is so much out there. So many good things to choose from. How do you decide what to use? I believe it boils down to your ultimate goals for your children. What do you want more than anything for your children? To be Read More