Successful Learning

When I was growing up, I only knew a handful of other homeschoolers. But one year when I was in my early teens, my mom and I drove with another family to a city a couple of hours away to attend a homeschool convention. I had never been to a homeschool convention before, and I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer number of homeschoolers that I met that day. I didn’t know so  many homeschoolers even existed! Suddenly homeschooling didn’t seem so weird. And I didn’t feel so isolated. Even as a young teenager, I found it easy to get caught up in the excitement of the homeschool movement when I attended the homeschool conventions near me.

Fast forward a few years. Now I’m the homeschool mom of four wonderful daughters. But I don’t always feel excited about homeschooling. Some days I dread it. Some days I cry in frustration because I don’t know how to help one of my children. I still go to homeschool conventions because I’ve found that they are really helpful. They give me a chance to recharge, to renew my vision for homeschooling, and to get help from more experienced homeschool moms. 

If you have never been to a homeschool convention, I hope that you will be able to visit one soon. Below is some information about popular homeschool conventions near you as well as some tips to make the most of your time. 

learn more about homeschool conventions

Employers are increasingly showing interest in neurodiverse employees. The term neurodiversity has been around a long time. This term encompasses people on the autism spectrum, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), speech disorders, dyslexia, and several other neurodevelopmental conditions. Neurodiversity advocates seek to highlight that these conditions are not necessarily a deficit, but come with strengths and weaknesses unique to each individual. In a 2009 study, neurodiverse students who viewed themselves as “different” rather than as having a “deficit” had higher academic self-esteem and confidence in their abilities, including career goals. This perception may be key for you if you’re considering planning to homeschool children with special needs.

From a biblical perspective we understand that God made man in His image. The God-given diversity of abilities, strengths, and weaknesses includes everyone. If you have children with special needs in one or more areas, they likely also have strengths in other areas. If you’re planning to homeschool children with special needs, your experience may look different, but the goal is the same. The goal is to equip the child to make a positive difference in his world.

Learn about Homeschooling with Special Needs

Homeschooling is great, isn’t it? You have the freedom and flexibility to teach your children according to your own style, schedule, and interests. Thanks to the recent uptick in families choosing to homeschool, curriculum choices, resources, and ideas are more abundant than ever. Still, you may find yourself needing something more for your family’s needs. Perhaps you don’t feel confident teaching a certain subject. Maybe your kids need more social opportunities. Or you wish your children had access to extra classes such as art, debate, home economics, or creative writing. A homeschool co-op sounds appealing, but there aren’t any in your area that seem to fit your expectations. If you have considered starting your own homeschool co-op, we’ve compiled some ideas and suggestions to guide you and help you get started.

[Read more…] about 9 Steps to Start a Homeschool Co-op

Our children are a gift, given to us from the Lord to train for His service. When your children are preschoolers, it may be difficult to imagine them as adults. You are probably just looking forward to the day when they will put on matching clothes or keep their bedroom neat. But in reality, we only have our children in our home for a very short time. We only have a very small window of time to teach preschoolers a biblical worldview, so we must start young because it can be one of the most valuable and foundational beginnings to our homeschool journey.

How do you teach preschoolers to think with a biblical worldview?

Quick question: Who would like to go back and relive their middle school years? No one? I think once was hard enough! We describe them with words like awkward, confusing, sometimes even painful. But you know what? Also amazing. Really. I don’t think of my own middle school years as amazing—but when I look back at my three (now grown) sons, and the hundreds of middle school students I was privileged to teach, I clearly saw God at work in these young people. In the middle of the mess, there were also victories.

So parents of middle schoolers, take hope. You and your children can survive these years of changes and growth without losing your sanity. As my church moms love to declare, God’s got this! Prayer, perspective, a support group, and maybe some deep breathing techniques will be foundational as you learn how to guide your homeschooler through middle school.

Learn about guiding your child through middle school!