Last week, millions of Americans celebrated Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of slavery. For so many, it is their true Liberation Day. Back when I was in the classroom, I taught in a year that was responsible for covering US History. The school was made up of 100% students of color. I am ashamed to say … Continue reading The Liberated Learner
“School at Home” vs. Home Education: Is there a difference?
In recent days, with everyone at home and attempting some form of schooling with their children, we have gotten comments like, “at least you guys are used to this, right?” Well, yes and no. I would hate for our temporary-homeschooling friends to somehow think that what their kids are having to do via online Zoom … Continue reading “School at Home” vs. Home Education: Is there a difference?
What to do when your child has NOTHING to write about.
Do you remember the scene in Beezus and Ramona when the girls are in art class and the teacher announces that the children are to paint a make-believe animal? Any animal from their imaginations. Ramona gets right to work, but Beezus just stares at her blank paper considering the possibilities. -sigh- If only she had … Continue reading What to do when your child has NOTHING to write about.
How to thrive when you are stuck at home
Regardless of whether your kids go to school or if you've always homeschooled, all of us are entering a season that is unprecedented due to COVID-19. Most likely you have been bombarded by lists of resources, digital learning platforms, Instagram live sessions, etc. that you can fill your time with while your children are home … Continue reading How to thrive when you are stuck at home
A Story Without Shape is a Story Without Life
Once your children have a good idea of how stories work (the concept of plot), they can begin to play around with the shape of their main character’s journey, which is the real meat of the story. When using Story Mountain, we might be tempted to assume, since the mountain leads to greater heights, that … Continue reading A Story Without Shape is a Story Without Life
The Magic of a Good Story
There is nothing like a good story. Stories are powerful because, in each of them, there is an echo of the person we are, or the person we hope to become, or of the hurt we experience, or that thing we are longing for. Stories are for bedtime, for passing down history and tradition, for … Continue reading The Magic of a Good Story
What are your favorite New Year’s traditions?
Over Christmas, my family and I watched It's a Wonderful Life. Me, for the millionth time, my youngest for the first (at least the first that she could understand a tiny bit of). How can I be watching something and simultaneously have so many other pictures and memories of other Christmases flashing through my mind? … Continue reading What are your favorite New Year’s traditions?
3 Reasons why kids hate writing
I grew up a huge baseball fan. I watched it on tv, listened to games on the radio until way past my bedtime (because I was convinced that if I turned it off, I would jinx my Yankees), I visited the ballpark multiple times a year. I grew up hearing stories of my dad’s baseball … Continue reading 3 Reasons why kids hate writing
Reaping a harvest of delighted readers
Think of something your parents taught you as a child that you have felt (or would feel) confident teaching your own children. Maybe how to do the laundry or to cook an egg; how to knit; how to brush your teeth; how to throw a baseball; how to ride a bike; how to drive a … Continue reading Reaping a harvest of delighted readers
How do branding and marketing impact our everyday decisions?
[This post is part of our "Curriculum of Questions" series]. Are we really free to choose which products we buy? Which medicines we take? What clothes we wear? What technology we invest in? Which products we clean our homes with? This big picture question is intended to get us thinking about the daily choices we … Continue reading How do branding and marketing impact our everyday decisions?
