Successful Learning

I am a homeschool mom of four wonderful daughters. When I started homeschooling six years ago, I had a second-grader, a kindergartener, a toddler, and an infant. This year I am homeschooling an eighth grader, a fifth grader, a third grader, and a kindergartener. I sometimes get asked how I manage homeschooling multiple ages. My answer—It’s hard. But it has actually gotten easier now that all my children are in school. And I’ve had several years to learn what works and what doesn’t work for my family. 

A few years ago, BJU Press published a podcast entitled “Homeschooling Multiple Grades”. The guest, HomeWorks by Precept Consultant Jennifer Lont, had some really helpful tips that have helped my own homeschool run more smoothly. Below are her tips as well as a few of my own. 

Read All 8 Tips

If I asked you to name ten key historical figures, who would be on your list? How many of them would be women? For millennia, women have shouldered most of the domestic responsibilities, leaving men “free” to lead nations, fight wars, and leave a lasting mark on history. But if you look for them, you can find the women who have left a mark on history, and you can and should teach women’s history to your children.

Learn more about teaching women’s history!

I’m a homeschool mom with four daughters between the ages of 6 and 13. We are almost halfway through our seventh year of homeschooling, and our family has used BJU Press’s homeschool curriculum since the very first day. We initially chose BJU Press because we knew the curriculum would support the values that we are working to instill in our children. We’ve come to love BJU Press. My daughters are thriving and actually look forward to doing schoolwork each day. And the new BJU Press Homeschool Hub tool has made homeschooling so much easier. 

The BJU Press homeschool curriculum is robust—there are a lot of parts and pieces, so some homeschoolers find it initially overwhelming. If you are considering using BJU Press or are new to BJU Press, here’s what you’ll need for getting started with BJU Press in your homeschool.

how do you get started with BJU Press in your homeschool?

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