My wife is doing a tremendous job in her first year of homeschooling. She is a fantastic planner and with some regularity is able to get our family ahead in covering the material. But homeschool is a family effort. So instead of just providing funds for the curriculum materials, I have decided to be my wife’s […]
homeschool
Introducing the New American Literature Edition
We’re excited to introduce the newest edition of our American Literature textbook. The secondary-level language arts team has put in a lot of work to make this the most valuable edition for you and your child, and they’ve made a lot of changes based on your recommendations. Take a look at these exciting new features! […]
How Children Learn: Words, Pictures, and Actions
I am not a teacher—I’m an artist, a “picture person.” But when our third child, Christopher, finished kindergarten without knowing the alphabet, numbers, or colors, I was determined to help my son learn. During the summer, I made the letters of the alphabet from chenille wire and tried to teach him that way. It was […]
How to Teach Your Children to Read Actively
Children are born learning, so parents and teachers almost never work with a blank slate. We’re always building on some kind of a foundation that’s been laid down, and the most effective teaching takes place when we’re working directly with that foundation. You can’t build a house without first making sure that the foundation is […]
A Hands-on Approach to the Planning Stage
Helping your children master writing skills presents a challenge when working with different learning styles. When I taught freshman English, my students were allowed to choose their own approach for planning. Some just made lists of questions while others constructed graphic organizers like bubble charts or word webs. They usually found ways to adapt the process […]
How Long Should a Homeschool Day Last?
Have you ever heard the question: “How long should a homeschool day last”? Maybe you’ve even asked yourself this question. You can relax because there’s really no right or wrong answer. But if you’re concerned, here are some things to consider about the length of your school day: What criteria are you using to evaluate […]
What Does Math Look Like?
Typically we don’t think about math as something to look at. It’s a field of study, not a physical object, but being able to see math is a skill that can be invaluable to children. Let me explain. I regularly volunteer as a math tutor at a ministry that helps adults obtain a GED. Every student […]