Blog
Am I Qualified to Teach Math?
As a homeschooling parent, earning a college degree is not a prerequisite for teaching math. All you need is dedication, a big heart, and the willingness to put your children’s needs before your own while investing time and energy into developing instructional...
Complex Confidence
“The goal of education is to teach children to become adults who can handle complex ideas, in uncertain situations, with confidence.” (Leigh Bortins, The Question, p. 6) As adults, most of us have become accustomed to maneuvering around situations in which we aren’t...
I Need Help: I’m Homeschooling!
So many parents will be left with a decision to make when school resumes in late August and September. With COVID19 still in the midst, several schools have made the decision to do virtual learning with their students at home. However, there are still many schools...
Homeschooling Tips For When Your Life Gets Busy
No matter how hard we try to keep things in our control, life will inevitably get busy. If you’re a homeschool parent, a particularly busy season can feel like it’s tearing apart your schedule and ruining your child’s education. Here are a few tips for homeschooling...
5 Reasons You Should Schedule a Movie Night Into Your Homeschool Routine
While there are plenty of reasons to be wary of too much screen time for your kids, the occasional movie night can be more than just an excuse to lounge in front of the TV. Here are a few reasons you should schedule movie night into your homeschool routine. Bond As a...
Perk Up Your Mid-Fall Homeschool!
It’s easy to start a new school year with great enthusiasm. After all, who doesn’t love new school supplies and unread textbooks?! But that was September. This is the end of October and the routines may be getting dull; the lessons less than exciting. Perhaps you need...
Micro- and Nano-School Options for Homeschoolers
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to dominate the news cycle and public health discussions and is directly impacting schools as they begin to re-tool virtual education approaches utilized during Spring 2020 shutdowns. Parents working full time to devise the best K to...
Parents as Teachers: Choose Your Words Carefully
Have you been feeling frustrated about teaching your children at home and stumbling over lesson plans, desperately in need of support? If so, then you’re not alone; the struggle is real with distance learning and homeschooling. While students slog through mountains of...
How to Set Up a Homeschooling Learning Space
Whether you’re a long-time homeschooler or doing it for the first time this year, setting up a homeschool learning space can make a big difference in your child’s productivity. Here are a few ideas for setting up your space. 1. Be creative Your homeschool learning...
K through 12 Standardized Testing Waiver Update for 20-21 School Year
In April, 2020 we reported that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that the department would be offering schools an option to bypass standardized testing for the 2019-2020 academic year as they cope with the impact of the health crisis. At the time,...
What is Study Island?
What is Study Island? Edmentum™ Study Island is an interactive learning platform where students in grades k-12 can strengthen their knowledge and skills in language arts, math, science, and social studies. How Study Island Works First, the student takes a diagnostic...
Goal-Setting for the New School Year
For most parents and kids, this school year is different than any they’ve ever had. Whether your kids are in a socially-distanced classroom or you’re homeschooling for the first time, here are some goal-setting tips for the school year. Be Realistic Unfortunately,...
Homeschool Milestones to Celebrate
Outside of the normal public school routine of a certificate or diploma at the end of each school year, it can be easy to forget to acknowledge homeschoolers for their accomplishments. But it is important that they feel just as validated in their schooling...
3 Ways to Make Homeschool History Lessons More Fun
Some kids love history, some hate it, but it is an important part of everyone’s education. Learning from the past helps us make better decisions in the future. Some kids seem to have a problem with history lessons in school because it can feel like memorizing a bunch...
What About Paid Time Off to Homeschool Your Kids?
BACKGROUND Have you considered the possibility you could be eligible for paid time off from your job because your child’s school is closed and you’re suddenly a school-at-home parent? It’s possible, but the timing is crucial – the program expires on December 31,...
Tips for Homeschooling During COVID-19
Up until now, families have been able to decide whether or not they wanted to homeschool their kids. However, in the midst of a global pandemic, many schools across the country are opting for an online-only schedule, and parents are being forced to homeschool their...
Confessions of a Homeschooling Hoarder
I can not deny my addiction to quality homeschool supplies. I take all boxes of books offered. I accept every math manipulative and books printed by certain publishers without a second consideration. I will also dig through every shelf and bin down to the very bottom...
Six Tips on When to Ask for Help in Your Homeschooling
Homeschooling can be running along smoothly when suddenly out of nowhere the road is dark and overgrown with thorns. Should I turn around and find a different path? Should I sit here for a while and hope for the best? Or should I call for help? Here are a few tips to...
Would You Rather – Creative Assignments
Most homeschool families take pride in doing things a little differently than the brick and mortar schools do. Take assessments as an example. Many parents feel comfortable assessing their children as they go through the work and find they do not really need a...
3 Steps to Consider Homeschooling
Covid-19 has caused the majority of us to change many parts of our lives. It might seem difficult to even remember when the old ‘normal’ existed. Social distancing, face masks and lack of entertainment/outings have replaced sporting events, beaches, and even the...
The Husband’s Role in Homeschooling
Managing a thriving homeschool lifestyle requires clearly defined roles. The majority of homeschool families I am acquainted with consist of Dad working as the primary income provider and Mom homeschooling the kids. While a lot of moms have some type of part-time job,...