The Value of Lapbooks and Notebooking in Homeschool
When working with a unique learner, teachers and parents often look at what curriculum and techniques help a student take in information, practice skills, and find success in making everything “stick.” For many years, homeschoolers have talked about learning styles, or preferences, thinking that matching the presentation of information to a child’s learning style would […]
4 Great Tips for When Your Homeschool Curriculum Won’t Work
Homeschool moms read a lot about how to homeschool and various homeschool approaches. They spent hours pouring over the myriad of homeschool curriculum available, trying to find just the right match for their kids and family. When the boxes of new materials arrive, everyone in the family gets excited to unpack all of the learning […]
Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach
The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy that originated in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Loris Malaguzzi, a teacher, created the Reggio Emilia method just after World War II, by request of the people of the small community of Reggio Emilia, Italy. He started very different type of early childhood center, picking up […]
Practical Strategies for Homeschooling a Kid with ADHD
Homeschooling a child with ADHD can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it can be an effective and rewarding experience. Here are some practical strategies to consider: Establish a Routine Some families do best with times to follow for each subject, chores, and other activities. We have found that a routine with estimated times […]
8 Best Principles of a Montessori Homeschool
Americans have gradually lowered formal academics all the way down to the preschool years. However, child development stages have not changed. Maria Montessori studied children and how they learned through play. When Americans hear the word Montessori, they often think about alternative preschool education in a center. However, once you know the principles of a […]
Principles of Brain-Based Learning
Before I started homeschooling, I was teaching in multi-age classrooms. I had extremely intelligent students who had some unusual quirks to their learning. Some of my kids had been diagnosed with dyslexia or other learning disabilities. The very first homeschooler I knew was a creative mom whose daughter was in my 3rd grade class. This […]
Continuum of Reading Programs
A debate has consisted for about several hundred years about the best way to teach children to read. The approaches vary based on how researchers and teachers believe children are able to integrate spoken language to create meaning of written words. There will always be a debate about how children learn to read, but for […]
Unique Learners’ Must-Have Math Manipulatives
Math manipulatives are important tools that help students understand and visualize mathematical concepts. Many teachers use them according to their curriculum, and may homeschoolers aren’t aware of why manipulatives are so essential for kids learning math. NOTE: This article may have some affiliate links. Four Stages of Concept Development Kids learn every concept in math […]
Everything You Need To Plan A Great Homeschool Year
Many new homeschoolers ask how to get started on planning their homeschool year. They are eager to order homeschool curriculum. A few months into the school year, moms say they are overwhelmed and feel like school takes all day. Other moms try to do a relaxed approach but report that they feel “behind” and are […]
How to Help Struggling Writers with the COPS Writing Strategy
Teaching writing can be challenging, especially when working with students who struggle with special needs written expression. As educators, we often wonder how we can effectively evaluate and improve our students’ sentence writing skills. One useful writing strategy that can help make this task easier is the COPS method. COPS is an acronym that stands […]