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Keeping Homeschooling Interesting: 5 Key Takeaways to Reignite the Spark
Homeschooling is a beautiful journey—but let’s be honest, even the most passionate homeschool families hit a rut now and then. If your days are starting to feel a little too routine, don’t worry—you’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong.
The good news? You can absolutely bring the spark back into your homeschool! Here are five simple but powerful ways to keep things fresh, fun, and full of curiosity.
Take your lessons outside for a “nature school” day.
Visit a local library or museum.
Do a “coffee shop school” morning with your older kids.
A change of scenery can inspire new energy and creativity for both you and your kids!
Ask your kids what they’re curious about.
Create a mini unit study around their interests.
Start a “Wonder Wall” where they can post questions or topics they want to explore.
When kids are invested in what they’re learning, motivation skyrockets.
Watch a documentary instead of reading a chapter.
Listen to a podcast or audiobook during lunch.
Replace one lesson a week with a hands-on project or educational game.
Learning can be dynamic, interactive, and even a little messy—and that’s okay!
It’s easy to focus on what still needs to be done, but don’t forget to celebrate how far you’ve come. Recognizing progress builds confidence and joy. Try this:
Create a “Victory Jar” and fill it with accomplishments, big or small.
Celebrate finishing a tough unit with a special treat or outing.
Let your kids showcase their work to friends or family.
These moments create lasting memories and positive associations with learning.
Burnout is real—for both kids and parents. If things feel off, it’s okay to pause. Rest is not a setback—it’s part of the process. Try this:
Schedule a “Flex Friday” every other week for catch-up, creativity, or rest.
Take a mental health day when needed.
Use breaks to reconnect as a family—no lesson plans required.
Remember, homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. Grace is just as important as grit. Homeschooling doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. By staying flexible, curious, and connected, you can keep your homeschool vibrant and joyful all year long.
The post Episode 86: Tips to Reignite Your Homeschool Spark first appeared on Homeschool .com.
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For some parents, the thought of homeschooling melts their hearts. But, today’s podcast is about sharing with the world that YOU CAN homeschool and there is no reason to fear!
Joining Jamie today is Carrie Strong, author of the book “You Can Homeschool!” Her book is designed to help other parents see the simplicity of homeschooling and a clear path to getting started.
Jamie and Carrie chat about how to start, the lessons they’ve learned, and encouragement for all parents who are on the fence. If you can, take a minute to look at the book “You Can Homeschool” by Carrie Strong and Megan Todd.
Carrie Strong begins by addressing the fundamental question of why parents might choose to homeschool. She highlights the benefits, such as personalized learning, flexible schedules, and the ability to incorporate family values and beliefs into the curriculum. Homeschooling allows parents to tailor the educational experience to their child’s unique needs and interests, fostering a love for learning.
“You CAN Homeschool” covers the essential steps to get started. Strong provides a comprehensive overview of the legal requirements for homeschooling in different regions, helping parents understand what is needed to comply with local regulations. She also discusses how to set up a conducive learning environment at home, including tips on organizing space and materials.
One of the key challenges in homeschooling is selecting the right curriculum. Strong offers insights into various homeschooling methods, such as classical education, unschooling, and Charlotte Mason. She encourages parents to explore different approaches and choose one that aligns with their educational philosophy and their child’s learning style.
What sets “You CAN Homeschool” apart are the real-life stories from experienced homeschooling parents. These stories provide inspiration and practical tips, showing that homeschooling is not only possible but also enjoyable. Parents share their successes and challenges, offering valuable lessons learned along the way.
Homeschooling can sometimes feel isolating, but Strong emphasizes the importance of staying connected with other homeschooling families and communities. She provides resources for finding local support groups, online forums, and co-op classes. These connections can offer support, encouragement, and opportunities for socialization for both parents and children.
One of the greatest advantages of homeschooling is its flexibility. Strong encourages parents to embrace this flexibility and adapt their teaching methods as needed. Whether it’s taking a spontaneous field trip, incorporating hands-on projects, or adjusting the schedule to accommodate a child’s interests, flexibility can make homeschooling a dynamic and engaging experience.
“You CAN Homeschool” by Carrie Strong and Megan Todd is a comprehensive guide that empowers parents to take charge of their children’s education. With practical advice, inspirational stories, and a wealth of resources, this book is an excellent starting point for any parent considering homeschooling. By following Strong’s guidance, parents can create a nurturing and effective learning environment that meets their child’s unique needs.
The post Show more...Join our host, Jamie, as she shares her best tips for keeping your homeschool sanity!
As a homeschool mom of six, she’s had to gather survival skills for juggling all the parental duties, housekeeping tasks, work-at-home responsibilities, and homeschooling. It’s a challenge for each of us. But there are a few tried and true methods that help to keep the day flowing smoothly while also helping parents keep their sanity.
Additional articles on homeschool organization:
Homeschool Organization Tips and Tricks
The post Episode 84: Tips for Keeping It Together! first appeared on Homeschool .com.In this podcast you’ll hear from our host Jamie and her special guest educator, Nikki Wilson on the topic of handwriting.
Children are often bored or struggle with the fine motor skills involved with learning how to write letters. Nikkie shares several tips for helping them overcome these roadblocks along with ways to get them to smile!
As an educator, Nikki found several ways to help children enjoy handwriting and remember the process. Using rhythm in an exciting way, children become motivated and begin to enjoy handwriting time. Listen in for easy tips on how to help your little one using rhythm.
Read our Product Review for Rhythm & Writing.
Visit the Rhythm & Writing Website.
Sample lyric video.
The post Episode 83: Connecting Rhythm and Handwriting with Nikki Wilson first appeared on Homeschool .com.
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For some homeschoolers, homeschool assessment can be confusing and even challenging. Join Jamie, homeschool mom of 6, as she shares how you can make it simple and easy.
Once upon a time, in the quiet corners of suburban homes, families embarked on a unique educational journey: homeschooling. As they navigated this path, they encountered various forms of assessment to gauge their children’s progress. Let’s delve into the world of homeschool grading and assessment and explore the different ways homeschoolers evaluate their young scholars.
The Morning Routine: Every day, homeschooling parents don their teacher hats, armed with pencils and grade books. Their mission? To assess their child’s progress through daily grades or observations. These grades and observations weren’t just numbers; they were windows into understanding.
Formal or Informal? Formal assessment is the giving and taking of quizzes and tests while informal assessment is the observation that we conduct every day as we homeschool our children!
Flexibility and Freedom: Unlike traditional schools, homeschooling allows flexibility. Parents can choose when to grade, how to grade, and whether to grade at all. Some days, they skip the grading altogether, opting for experiential learning—a trip to the local museum or a nature walk.
The Quest for the Right Level: Imagine a treasure map with an “X” marking the spot. Placement tests served as those “X” marks for homeschoolers. Parents use them to determine the appropriate grade level or mastery level within the grade for their child. Was little Timmy ready for third-grade math or perhaps a leap into fourth-grade beginning algebra?
The Chronicles of Progress: Portfolio assessment was homeschooling’s grand epic—a saga chronicling a student’s journey. Imagine a thick leather-bound book filled with pages of achievement. Each entry told a tale: a poem penned, a science experiment documented, a painting captured. We’ll use Timmy as an example.
Showcase Portfolios: In the portfolio, showcase sections sparkled. Timmy’s best work—his eloquent essay on ancient civilizations, the watercolor masterpiece of a sunflower—found their place. These were the gems he’d proudly share with visiting grandparents.
Progress Portfolios: Progress portfolios whispered secrets of growth. Timmy’s early attempts at cursive writing, shaky and uncertain, now flowed like a babbling brook. His science notes evolved from scribbles to structured hypotheses.
Working Portfolios: Working portfolios held drafts—the raw clay of creativity. Timmy’s short stories, revised and polished, nestled here. His math scratch paper revealed the journey from confusion to clarity.
Virtual Portfolios: In the digital age, virtual portfolios emerged. Timmy’s blog chronicled his adventures—virtual field trips, coding projects, and book reviews. The internet became his canvas, and the world his audience. Visit this podcast for a cool app that let’s you create Virtual Portfolios with a snap.
State Requirements: Some states demand these portfolios for evaluation. Parents meticulously curate them, ensuring a balanced representation of the child’s learning odyssey.
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Join Jamie as she interviews Kimberly Langen, a highly educated and gifted educator who started Spirit of Math in 1994 to challenge learners to think differently!
Kimberly has developed an alternative way to helping gifted and high performing learners stay motivated and learn mathematics in ways that align with their particular style of thinking. This podcast was very enlightening and if you have a gifted or high-performing learner you’ll want to listen in. Kim shares a great many practical tips on how to homeschool and keep your learners motivated.
One of my key takeaways was that mathematics needs to be taught in 4 steps:
1 Drill to build automaticity
2 Core Content including topics and spiral learning for younger children
3 Problem Solving in real world application that allows students to use reasoning and logic
4 Collaborative Group Work that elevated thinking, let them talk about it out loud it will stretch them to new reasoning
And something else I learned, in case you were wondering what the difference was between a gifted learner and a high performing learner:
1 Gifted Learner is a student classified as gifted by demonstrating a high level of intellectual ability.
2 High Performing learner is a learner that is simply very motivated to learn!
Don’t forget that it is also important for these learners to learn from failure. Learning from failure often brings about a new level of logical reasoning that wasn’t accessible before.
If you have a gifted or high performing learner and are feeling challenged on how to homeschool them reach out to Spirit of Math. They have regional classes as well as online options for homeschool students.
Listen to More
Helping Your Students Pursue Their Excellence
The post Episode 81: Homeschooling the Gifted or High Performing Learner first appeared on Homeschool .com.FOLLOW US ON: APPLE PODCASTS | GOOGLE PLAY | PANDORA
This episode is one of my favorites! In honor of School Choice Week, I was able to join several other homeschooling mamas who shared their ups and downs and encouragement for homeschoolers new and experienced! We had a great time talking about homeschooling and this episode is full of nuggets of wisdom from four very experienced homeschool parents!
If you are interested in learning more about homeschooling please visit our Getting Started Guide to Homeschooling.
The post Episode 80: Panel Discussion on Homeschooling first appeared on Homeschool .com.
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If you’re not sure if you can or even should homeschool, then this podcast is for you. Join Jamie and Stephanie Palazzolo as they chat about the rights you have as a parent and how to get started. Remember, you can start homeschooling at any time!
Some of the best advice for homeschoolers is that you know your child better than anyone, including a teacher. Don’t sell yourself short, you have been your child’s first teacher since the day they were born, and now that you want to homeschool… you can still be that amazing first teacher.
Take time to visit Stephanie at her site The Homeschool Expert to find help and get your questions answered!
Find more information about Getting Started Homeschooling here. Understand the steps to getting started and watch advice videos from our host, Jamie Gaddy. You’ll soon see that homeschooling is a wise educational option for your children.
Discover what your state requires for homeschoolers.
The post Episode 79: You Can Homeschool, Tips for All! first appeared on Homeschool .com.FOLLOW US ON: APPLE PODCASTS | GOOGLE PLAY | STITCHER
What is pursuing “Their Excellence?” If you’re not sure, then you’ll want to listen in to this podcast with Jamie and Jessica where they dig deep into how you can encourage your kids and actually PLAN to help them pursue “their” unique excellence!
Our guest today is a leading expert in the growing world of “learning without walls”–Jessica Parnell, CEO of Edovate Learning Corp. Jessica is a published author, professional speaker, and former homeschool mom alum whose passion for children and education drove her to create and provide personalized education for students at all levels. Jessica specializes in e-learning solutions, home education, advanced education, and help for learning disabilities and is always looking to innovate in the homeschool space.
If you are interested in learning more about Bridgeway Academy, please take the time to learn more by reading our Bridgeway Academy Homeschool Curriculum Review.
Also if you are an unschooler and are looking for homeschooling resources, be sure to check out our Elephango Homeschool Curriculum Review and visit the Elephango website for more information.
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With the growing popularity of homeschooling and the wide selection of materials and resources that are now available, we know that it can be difficult for homeschoolers to find what they need and the basics of what they need to do to organize and keep records in their homeschool. In fact, over the years I’ve often had many questions about what records I needed to keep.
Today Corrina and I are going to discuss homeschool record keeping – – I know this is often a worrisome topic for many homeschool parents. Sometimes we are just not sure what is needed to keep good homeschooling records. It’s our goal today to help clarify just what the homeschooled family needs to be doing to maintain good records. Sometimes it can be difficult to understand.
For some families, the state in which they live will dictate what records are needed. Some states require details while other states require nothing at all.
Modify has developed an app that makes homeschool record-keeping simple. It’s perfect for those families that are more hands-on learning and less formal learning. Students can record and track learning moments independently as well as typical parental tracking. In fact, unschooling families love the Modify app.
Discover all the amazing things that Modify can help you with your homeschool. Click here to learn more about their app!
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Jamie shares her heart about family life and difficulties along the journey but also points to the fact that failure isn’t the end. Even if we have to set aside homeschooling for a bit, there is always a fresh start tomorrow. A Quote from Anne of Green Gables books, “Tomorrow is always fresh with no mistakes.”
Ways to plan your new homeschool year:
Find New Homeschool Curriculum in our Awards
Learn more about Homeschool Products with Our Homeschool Curriculum Reviews
Find Free Planners for you and Your Students
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Let me introduce you to Phil. Phil Denniston is founder and CEO of InflationEducation.net, better bedtime stories revealing the secrets of the debt-based fiat money system using the pricnipals of liberty, sound money, Austrian Economics, and Natural Law. Phil holds a BA in Economics from the University of Colorado.
With InflationEducation.net Phil was able to marry his two passions: Understanding the history and mechanics of our monetary system AND using story-time with his four children (ages 5-14) to reveal the wizard behind the curtain, preparing them for the debt-based fiat money system that awaits.
It’s common knowledge that our country is in financial trouble. And most of us, as parents realize that we need to a step back and begin educating our children – and sometimes ourselves -about money and for financial stability. But I noticed when I was reading your bio, that you mentioned the “debt-based fiat money system” These are terms that not all of our parents will be familiar with can you take a minute to help us better understand? (read more below)
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Phil’s Response:
One challenge for parents’ intent on preparing kids for the world that awaits is finding materials or curriculum revealing how the money system works. By that we mean not just the basics of finance – saving, spending, investing, compound interest, and borrowing – but the essence of money: What is money, what works in the role, what are its historical properties, and how is money created?
Most parents (and school systems) cannot touch the subject because they don’t even know themselves. All of us were raised to believe today’s money is just what it should be, and the only way it could be. Instead, we’re living – right now – in a historical aberration, using unbacked, debt-based fiat money.
Debt growth (both public and private) has exceeded economic growth (or our ability to repay) for decades, and the inflation that is now accelerating – $7 dollars for a dozen eggs? – is the signal that the money system itself is breaking down, unraveling in plain sight, as ‘fiat’ money always does.
Taking a step back, fiat means ‘by decree’. Thus, fiat money like the US Dollar bill, means ‘money because the government says so’, not money that’s backed by anything real or has been chosen to be in the role by the free market. For 5,000 years, what’s worked best as money is gold or silver. Paper notes or digital representations are fine, if exchangeable at fixed rates. This is called a “gold standard”.
Article 1, Section 10 of the US Constitution calls for just that-
“No State shall… make anything but gold or silver coin a legal tender”.
America’s founders understood the importance of money backed by a measured weight of gold or silver. This is unlike today’s money that can be conjured from thin air by banks and bureaucrats.
At InflationEducation.net, we use ‘better bedtime stories’ to help prepare your family, revealing the secrets of debt-based money using the principles of America’s founding – liberty, sound money, Austrian Economics, and Natural Law. These delightful, full color hardcovers bring it all to light, creating indelible memories for your kids as you mix them in with all the classics during that nightly ritual.
Our customers like to be prepared, thus lean heavily homeschooled. We back it with an unconditional Alliance Guarantee. Buy the bundle, save 40% now and forever, and if you don’t like them, we’ll refund 100% of
Over the years in speaking with homeschooling parents, I’ve heard the phrase, “Homeschooling is making me depressed,” more than once from a discouraged homeschool mom. And yet, the majority of those homeschooling parents felt a lack of energy and inspiration specifically during the winter months! Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a harsh reality for many people during the long, dark winter, and adding the responsibility of homeschooling can make it more difficult. Even for people who don’t necessarily struggle with SAD, homeschooling in February is enough to make the most determined and inspired people feel like quitting.
By the time this month rolls around, the fun holidays have passed, and spring break is still far away. You have devoted hours of effort into grading, teaching, planning, organizing, and driving your children to lessons and classes. Homeschool mom burnout is highest at this time of the year, and you’re likely tired enough to feel it in your bones.
We’ve been there! I think it’s the most difficult month to stay strong, power through, and continue homeschooling. We want to help inject fun and encouragement once again in your family before the February blues become homeschool burnout depression. Join Jamie as she shares how she deals with burnout and keeps her perspective fresh.
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With the holidays upon us, many of us feel more stressed than usual. There are numerous holiday events, relatives to see, places to visit, and gift shopping and preparation to get done. Most of us wonder about holiday homeschooling. How to homeschool amid everything?
The holidays are a great time to take off from structured homeschooling. Don’t sweat the books. They will be waiting for you when the holidays are over!
This looks different for each family, but changing up your homeschool routine to be more flexible and fit your holiday preparation can be fun and exciting. I know with my half dozen kids, any kind of change always perked them up. All of a sudden they were interested in what was going on!
So as we get started let’s talk about schedules.
For many homeschooling moms and dads, planners are their lifeblood. Whether you need to plan the week, month, or even your daily schedules, a sense of organization is key. If you’re like me, my planner is especially vital during the holidays for any semblance of productivity, there are so many moving parts in our family if we didn’t have a schedule to let everyone know where/what/when we’d be lost!
If you’re stressing over your schedule for this coming holiday season, try to step back, pause, and take a deep breath.
One of the first things that I find particularly helpful when I’m in a stressful situation, or simply beginning each day (with potential to be stressful) is prayer. If you’re listening to this podcast then you’re looking for something. Maybe it’s wisdom or advice. One of the best places to find wisdom is in prayer.
After all of these years of homeschooling during the holidays, I’ve realized that sometimes the most important thing we can do for our children is to take time with them. The holidays are all about creating wonderful memories and sweet traditions. Take some time to consider what is most important in your family this season.
Once I’ve determined what my focus will be during the holidays, I turn to my schedule. Since there are so many people in our household, even when we aren’t formally doing a lot of homeschooling or any homeschooling at all – – we still need a schedule so that everyone is on the same page. I find this especially important during the holidays. Each of us has a lot of “extra” during this time and a schedule of some sort helps everyone. Be creative, flexible, and fun. As I’ve already mentioned change always gets the kids interested… Here are a few of my creative suggestions for holiday homeschooling.
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Join Jamie as she interviews Holly Britton, author of the Squiggle Squad handwriting program.
The interview was an amazing opportunity to get some practical pointers for homeschool parents teaching their littles how to write. Here were a few of the tips from the podcast:
What if My Kid Hates Handwriting?
Handwriting: An Indispensable Tool
Teaching and Improving Handwriting Skills
The post Episode 72: The Importance of Homeschool Handwriting first appeared on Homeschool .com.
We’re excited about our guest this week. The author of the Tuttle Twin’s Book Series, Connor Boyack is here to join us for a chat on why he wrote/is writing these books and about his new history book project. The Tuttle Twins has sold over 4 million copies and is widely discussed from CNN to Fox News. Connor attempts to reveal the truth about free market, government and civics in a fictional storyline that elementary kids and even teens can easily understand and apply to current events.
Connor has a great newsletter that he sends out weekly. A quote you used in your newsletter back in May really stuck with me.
“The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and as a people.” Which was from the National Commission on Excellence in Education – – from 1983. 1983 – If education was mediocre then – – what do we have now? Anyway- this quote resonated with me – first because it is one of the reasons we chose to homeschool. But you pointed out that this mediocrity is at a critical point. I agree and feel that it is especially critical to how ignorant the bulk of our young adults are when it comes to knowledge about history, economics, and government.
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Take Your Homeschool From Ordinary to Extraordinary!
The post Episode 71: Interview with Connor Boyack: Civics and Government first appeared on Homeschool .com.
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We’ve all experienced the struggle. The fear of a blank page intimidates us from writing the thoughts and ideas rushing about in our minds. Join Jamie as she interviews guest and author Joshua Davidson about how to motivate those reluctant writers.
Joshua Davidson is the author of the award-winning book series, Night Zookeeper. The series now has an online learning portal and a cartoon TV series in the U.K.
Listen for great ideas on how to get your students to write creatively in no time!
Night Zookeeper was voted in the top 10 homeschool websites in 2022 for grammar and composition!
Find out more about Night Zookeeper here.
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The question of college is becoming increasingly more difficult for homeschool families. With rising costs, disappointing curriculum, and more students are faced with a decision to find alternatives. Bruce Goodmansen joins us today with his solution. His book is filled with tons of options for students who just don’t want to go the college route.
Visit Bruce at Anything But College.
You can check out his book here 100% Success Without College
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We all know that helping our teens find direction for their future, and helping them find the right training to accomplish their dreams without breaking the bank is tricky. Bruce’s book really opens your eyes to how overpriced and underfulfilled college education can be. There are many paths to helping your student accomplish their future dreams without attending college. I suggest you buy this book – you won’t regret it!
Alternative Paths to College Credit
Surprising Alternatives for High School Students
The post Episode 69: Success Without College with Bruce Goodmansen first appeared on Homeschool .com.FOLLOW US ON: APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | GOOGLE PLAY | STITCHER
Join Jamie as she interviews long-time homeschool advocate, John Edelson. John is the founder of Time4Learning.com and has been at the forefront of online homeschooling for the past two decades. John shares his thoughts about how homeschooling has changed over the years, how first-time homeschoolers can get started easily and simple advice for homeschooling without stress.
Interested in finding out more about Time4Learning.com? Visit their free demo page to see how online learning works.
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We all know that homeschooling has changed over the past several years. A change that has been relatively positive across the board. But what does that mean for you, the normal parent wondering if homeschooling might be a good fit?
Join Jamie as she interviews Kirk Cameron about why homeschooling is so important to him, and about his new movie The Homeschool Awakening.
Kirk’s new movie is a wonderful glimpse of homeschooling through the eyes of more than a dozen homeschool families. This movie also helps answer those frequently asked questions and lets viewers see just how fun homeschooling can be.
The Homeschool Awakening will be in theaters on June 13th and 14th and you can find tickets by visiting The Homeschool Awakening website. Enter your zip code to find which theaters in your area are offering the film.
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Wondering how to start homeschooling? Our team has put together a comprehensive guide that will get you started and homeschool your best in no time. Visit the How to Start Homeschooling article on Homeschool.com today.
The post Episode 67: Kirk Cameron Interview on Homeschooling first appeared on Homeschool .com.