mcguffey readers round up

McGuffey Readers Roundup

The McGuffey readers have been the solution to many of my homeschool problems. They are: They are excellent because they: They are simple because they: They are affordable because they: They are readily available because: Yes, you read that right: McGuffey wrote his first reader in 1836. He … Read More…

Elephant Homeschooling

Homeschool an Elephant

How do you homeschool an elephant? Let’s tackle this question. Why is homeschooling like an elephant? Because education is huge, colossal, and mammoth! It pretty much encompasses anything and everything a person needs to know, doesn’t it? Specifically, we are going to talk about how homeschooling is like … Read More…

Don't quit homeschooling

Don’t Quit Homeschooling

It’s midwinter. We’re all taking a pause to look over our lives. In particular, we are taking time to reevaluate our homeschooling. When we take our children home to educate them, we become combatants in a war. Homeschooling challenges the systems that are engineered to destroy us (by … Read More…

Make a homeschool sandwich

Make a Homeschool Sandwich

There is something conspicuously absent in our homeschooling. It’s not curricula. It’s not supplies. It’s not physical exercise. It’s not test preparation. It is something so simple that we rarely think about it, yet it is so profound that we are doomed to fail without it. I was … Read More…

Ancient Greece Study Packet

Ancient History Homeschooling

If you are unsure about teaching ancient history as a homeschooler, this post is for you! Along with these notes, you can listen to a podcast on the same by scrolling to the end. Ancient history is one of the most important subjects a child needs to study, … Read More…

Classical education

Classical Education

What is Classical Education and where did it come from? According to Wikipedia: The classical education movement or renewal advocates for a return to a traditional education based on the liberal arts (including the natural sciences), the canons of classical literature, the fine arts, and the history of … Read More…

secret of relaxed homeschooling

Secret to Relaxed Homeschooling

There is a secret to relaxed homeschooling. It’s actually what makes everything else work. What is it? Actually…drumroll…it’s: DISCIPLINE! I know, I know, this is not considered a positive word. Discipline is actually something we’ve been conditioned to avoid. Besides, what in heaven or earth does discipline have … Read More…

Charlotte Mason Narration Done Right

Today we are going to examine narration, which is a very Charlotte-Masonish thing to do. I first discovered Charlotte Mason after I had been officially homeschooling for about six years. It was a re-discovery for all of us early homeschoolers back then. Susan Schaeffer Macauley’s book, For the … Read More…

Don't Rush Your Children

Don’t Rush Your Children

If there was one message I believe the homeschool community needs, it’s this: DON’T RUSH YOUR CHILDREN This is not based on my feelings or my wishes; it’s based on some remarkable (even shocking) reasonings. Consider this: All of the learning necessary for success in high school can … Read More…

homeschool plan and prep for 2023 to 2024

Plan Your Homeschool Year the Easy Way

It has been said that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. While I am convinced that learning at home should be as organic and spontaneous as possible, I also believe that it should be orderly to be enjoyable and effective. Planning is a great part … Read More…