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homeschooling tips

Get Going Early in the Day

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Long ago, as a little girl in a school desk, I learned that saying, and I have often wondered if it is true.  Certainly there are many benefits to rising early. When reading about productive people, I notice that the vast majority […]

Homeschool Professional Development with Blog Carnivals

Public school teachers have professional development days—without students—when they can focus on improving their teaching skills. Homeschooling moms cannot do the same thing quite so easily.  For one thing, our ‘students’ are still around, so it’s difficult—or impossible—to take a whole day off.   But we still need inspiring and informative moments that challenge us in our […]

Questions for Math Students after Finishing a Problem

We’ve had some difficulties with math lately, with basic addition, areas and perimeters, estimation, and advanced algebra.  It’s frustrating for the children and for me, and I’m still struggling to find solutions.  I’ve briefly mentioned two of our approaches in my weekly wrap ups:  the need for basic fact drill and the importance of neatness and organization.  […]

Free Charlotte Mason Treasures for Your Homeschool

Charlotte Mason believed that education should “make our boys and girls rich towards God, rich towards society and rich towards themselves.” Ambleside Online (discussed here) follows Charlotte Mason’s ideals by providing children with treasures that will give them this richness.  Year 1 is my favorite Ambleside year, full of classics that appeal to all ages and […]

Curriculum Choice Review: Comprehensive Record Solution

The prospect of getting homeschooled kids into university can seem quite frightening.  I was recently talking with a mom who is going to do online public school so that her children will have ‘the right courses’ to enter university.  She was cheerfully determined to follow this course, so I didn’t try to dissuade her, but […]