Making homeschool decisions easy
This past September, I made my biggest curriculum mistake yet. I had researched and thought and finally purchased a curriculum. But when it came time to start school, I realized that I would have to do heavy editing to make the curriculum match my student’s level. I set it aside and bought another curriculum–happily, one that we have been making progress in all year long.
A couple years ago, I was struggling to find a language arts curriculum that was both engaging and complimentary to our homeschool philosophy. In my quest, I sampled a wide variety of curricula. When I discovered Brave Writer, I knew I had found what I had been looking for. Not only does Brave Writer offer a variety of writing curricula and resources, they also provide
One of the most appealing aspects of a Charlotte Mason education for me is the seamless interplay between art and science that is possible with nature study. Nothing compares to tromping through the woods in all weathers to track the first crocus. Alright, we usually just walk around our neighborhood…and only when it’s not too wet! But we still keep our Calendar of Firsts, and
The dark comes early these days, and the temperatures stay cool. That makes winter the perfect time for stories! Recently, our family had the opportunity to try out Bookroo–a subscription book service. Every month a handsomely wrapped package arrives filled with your choice of board books or picture books. What a fun morning we had receiving our package from the letter carrier, then tearing open
For the past few months, my son has lulled himself to sleep by listening to Percy Jackson books on audio. We only own one but he checks the books out on OverDrive (one of our favorite library resources) and will listen to them over and over again. As a result of his recent interest, I knew he would also be interested in the National Mythology Exam that
On any ordinary day, after we have put in a good share of work, you can find us gathered at the table sharing a pot of tea. After everyone is settled with tea and cinnamon toast, I open a book of poems and read one. We might return to the poem again in the coming days. But that’s the heart of our simple practice–tea and
Nature studies and nature journaling has been a part of our homeschool curriculum since the very beginning. When we first began our homeschool journey, it was the Charlotte Mason lifestyle that so appealed to me particularly because of the emphasis Miss Mason placed on allowing the child’s interest in the natural world to take lead. When the opportunity to review Exploring Nature with Children: A
Books Children Love, A Review When I first discovered Books Children Love by Elizabeth Wilson, I was immediately drawn to the whimsical cover and the fact that the book’s forward is written by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay. Having been one of the first authors I encountered sixteen or so years ago as I was researching the option to homeschool my children, Ms. Macaulay laid a beloved foundation in
