Relationship Building

March 7, 2023 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

Relationship Building

Relationship Building. It was so much fun to talk with the author, speaker, homeschooling momma, pastor’s wife, and baker, Katie Trent, as we talked about Creative Relationship Building!

I love Katie’s simple but effective 3 step process to building amazing Relationships with her kids!

Plan to:

Begin a conversation
1. Ask questions- remove the word, ‘why.”
2. Engage
3. Listen
Connection
Cooking/ Camping/ Cleaning- or other Activity

And remember, “You don’t have to be the “fun” Mom 24/7.” Taking an intentional 10 minutes a day to focus, connection and communicate with each other! You’ll be glad that you did.

You can find Katie at

Website: https://KatieJTrent.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/katiejtrent
Facebook: https://facebook.com/katiejtrent

Dishing Up Devotions: 36 Faith-Building Activities for Homeschooling Families: https://dishingupdevotions.com

Recipes for a Sweet Child: Creative, Bible-based Activities to Help Your Family Thrive: https://recipesforasweetchild.com

**Free preorder bonus bundle {$85 value} when you preorder Recipes for a Sweet Child. It releases 8.8.23 but is available everywhere now for preorder. Go to https://katiejtrent.com/preorder to grab your free bundle and a copy of the book!

At True North Homeschool Academy, we believe that Education is the transmission of Culture, and we are fully committed to transiting a culture of Truth! We offer live online and self-paced Bible Classes that inspire, and delight, and will have your kids deep diving into Scripture in a new way as they Encounter the Living God!

Discover True North Homeschool Academy » True North Homeschool Academy

Shop our Classes Shop Online Classes for Homeschoolers » True North Homeschool Academy

Bible Classes Shop Online Classes for Homeschoolers » True North Homeschool Academy

#homeschool #onlineeducation #devotional #homeschoollife #homeschoolonline #bible #learn #learnmore #learning #scripture

Filed Under: Soft Skills 101 Tagged With: #homeschoollife, #homeschoolonline, #learnmore, #onlineeducation, Bible, devotional, homeschool, learn, learning, Scripture

Educate – FREEDOM Tools Part 2

March 31, 2022 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

In the previous episode, we began talking about my FREEDOM toolbox–7 tools for making the most of our time so that we can live balanced, peaceful lives. These are the tools:

Focus
Reflect
Educate
Eliminate
Discipline
Organize
Multitask

Today we’ll look at the third tool: Educate.

It’s easy for homeschooling moms to get so caught up in educating our children that we forget about educating ourselves! We can get caught up in curriculum, lesson plans, and goals for our children that we completely neglect our own personal growth.

But the truth is that we ALL need to expose ourselves to new ideas and new strategies on a regular basis for all three major life areas: personal, family, and business. You need to sharpen your own skills and broaden your mind, learn new ideas and methods for training and educating your children and running your household, and discover new ways to build your business, if you have one.

In addition, if you want your children to value reading and learning, they need to see YOU reading–for pleasure as well as for learning.

In this episode of the “Flourish at Home” show, you’ll learn a variety of ways to make the most of your reading, such as keeping a reading journal, writing in your books, and keeping a record of your reading.

Maybe you’re thinking, “Sure, I’d like to read more, but I don’t know how I can possibly fit it into my life. I already have too much to do without adding one more thing!” You’ll also discover practical tips for fitting learning into your life, such as taking advantage of the wide variety of formats available now, using audiobooks to multitask, using family time for independent reading as well as reading aloud, and the always-popular reading at bedtime.

Join us for encouragement and practical tips to keep learning and growing throughout your entire life!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Filed Under: Ultimate Homeschool Radio Show Tagged With: books, Education, learning, reading

Fall Unit Studies

September 17, 2020 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

Fall Unit Studies – Episode 87

In this episode, we discuss Fall Unit Studies. Fall is the perfect time to take a look at Unit Studies. Fall provides so many opportunities to take advantage of Unit Studies.

Mentioned on the Show

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Amelia Bedelia’s First Apple Pie
Johnny Appleseed

Things to Do:

Pumpkins

Pumpkin Patches
Baking and Cooking with Pumpkins and Pumpkin Seeds

Leaves

Nature studies
Drawing leaves
Cutting Leaves
Crafts with leaves
Science projects with Leaves

Hurricanes

Tracking
Study the Science behind
Home preparedness projects

Find us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter

Please visit www.fpea.com to learn more about who we are!

Filed Under: FPEA-Connects, Uncategorized Tagged With: Autumn, curriculum, fall, learning, Seasons, unit studies

Foundations of Learning

April 6, 2020 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

Foundations of Learning

“WISDOM BEGINS WITH WONDER”

–SOCRATES

We believe that wonder and wisdom are worthy pursuits in every family (and every classroom), that they provide an overarching framework for life-changing, life-giving, and life-preparing education. When they are woven into our lives, they have the power to shape our story in breathtaking ways. The daily practice of them, however, requires us to slow down and hold various paradoxes in tension, as we grapple with and embrace all that life brings our way.

This first paradox is captured by Socrates’ quote above. The journey towards wisdom is wonder? True, good, and beautiful knowledge can only be attained through awe, play, and questioning? This often seems counterintuitive. But as we know, young children learn so much through play and exploration. Their natural propensity to tackle new subjects and spaces with curiosity grows with them as they begin asking questions. Encouraging learning in this way, through play and curiosity, sets a foundation for loving learning in children and directs their course toward a lifelong pursuit of learning.

It is for this reason that our curricula respects the age of the child and teaches to their stage of development. This not only optimizes learning, but maximizes enjoyment by engaging and meeting the needs of the whole child. We draw on the classical trivium––grammar (first-fourth grades), rhetoric (fifth-eighth grades), and logic (high school)––stages of learning as it models a developmentally appropriate education. Though classically-inspired, we add our own twist, so that our curricula can fit in and pair with any educational approach.

But we knew that foundational learning begins even younger, which is why we started with our Preschool through Kindergarten. We like to call this stage the pre-grammar stage. Children at this age see memorization as an enjoyable task, so we attend to setting a strong foundation for reading, writing, math, poetry, and literature––with ample time for play and exploration. For example, in our Block Play units, each month centers around a picture book (we love reading aloud!) from which the lessons and activities stem. Here’s a fun example from one of our Junior Kindergarten Block Play units, based on Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. If you’re not familiar with the story, here’s a little summary: Armed only with a purple crayon and his imagination, Harold went for a walk one evening. Along the way, he goes through woods, over seas, and past frightening dragons until he finds his way home and crawls into his cozy bed at last. This story offers twists and turns that keep your children wondering what is going to happen next.

BUILDING ACTIVITY: Build a City Using Loose Parts. The materials you need for this activity are Harold and the Purple Crayon, masking/painter’s tape, a Sharpie, white school glue, construction paper, and various building materials, such as milk cartons, cardboard boxes, shoe boxes, cereal boxes, etc. You might also want clear packing tape. Gather all the materials, invite your child to join you, and find a place at the table to work. Bring out the book and open it up to the pages where Harold built a city. Talk about the shape of the buildings, windows, and doors.

Invite your child to choose one of the boxes you have collected. Using masking tape, help them tape the top closed. Work with your child to decide on how they want to add the windows and doors to the box. Do they want to cut them out of construction paper and glue them onto the box or wrap the box in construction paper and draw the windows directly on the box? Offer to help with drawing if your child needs it. This activity provides your child with a wonderful opportunity to strengthen and develop their muscles that help them with fine motor skills. Once they are done with that first building, have them choose another box to use for another building. When that one is done, help your child tape them together with tape balls/loops or clear packing tape so they can start to see their city take shape. Let them continue to make city buildings out of the boxes until they are happy with the scene they have taped together. When they are finished, save this for your child to play with again later.

We at WWP hold to the truth that every child (and every adult) is a born learner and should have the world of wonder and wisdom opened up to them. We believe that all should have access to quality, life-changing educational opportunities regardless of personal belief systems. We also believe that together, we truly are better, and that diversity within our worldwide online community can only serve to enrich, grow and develop us all.

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Wisdom Wonder Project makes the power, magic, & mystery of learning accessible to the modern homeschool family. We offer homeschool curricula filled with rich and beautiful, hold-your-hand lessons that will spark wonder and wisdom in your children. Available as monthly and annual subscriptions, you don’t have to pay a lot for a great education. Accessible worldwide, wherever you are.

https://www.wisdomwonderproject.org/ (sign up for their daily newsletter here)

www.youtube.com/WisdomWonderProject

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Education, foundations of learning, learning, wisdom wonder project

Gameschooling with Hannah Kartagener

April 25, 2019 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

Gameschooling with Hannah Kartagener

Podcast #71

Gameschooling.. what? Learning with games. Since the beginning of time, children have learned through play. This was a fun topic to cover, because who doesn’t like games? We are joined with Hannah Kartagener, who we consider to be a “game expert” and she talks with us about “Gameschooling”

While many electronic games and apps can be a good addition to your homeschooling experience, today we are talking about traditional board games and cards.

A great resource for reviews and instructions for play is YouTube. There are many channels dedicated to the review of board games. Have a hard time with reading instructions for play? You are not alone – YouTube is a great place to find instructions on how to play a game.

Games mentioned on show:

Traditional Games:

Aggravation
Yahtzee
Rummikub
Clue
Monopoly
Life
Trivial Pursuit

Modern Games:

Trash Panda
Azul
Forbidden Island
Everdell
Indian Summer
Tiki Topple
Cottage Garden
Potion Explosion
Blue Lagoon
Outfoxed
Sushi Go

Educational Games

Use Your Manners
Pizza Fractions
Scrabble
Jr. Scrabble
Ticket to Ride
Various math games on the market
Puzzles

The FPEA Homeschool Convention is a great place to find games for learning and fun – or BOTH! Register to join us and peruse our huge exhibit hall to stock your game shelf!

Filed Under: FPEA-Connects Tagged With: board games, card games, fun, games, gameschooling, homeschool, homeschooling, learning, learning with games

7 Reasons Your Kids Should Read the Classics

March 5, 2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

In “7 Benefits of Reading Classics” Episode #060, Meredith Curtis inspires you to read classics by explaining how enjoying great literature and living books will benefit your heart, mind, and life. She will give you tips on how to choose great books to pull off the shelf and treasure for a lifetime.

7 Reasons Your Kids Should Read the Classics

Why make room for old books when there’s a world of new ones? Because the classics do things few other books can:

They build a richer vocabulary. Older, well-crafted language stretches your child’s words far beyond everyday reading.
They strengthen the mind. Complex sentences and big ideas grow comprehension and stamina — a mental workout that pays off in every subject.
They pass on wisdom and virtue. Great stories model courage, sacrifice, honesty, and perseverance in ways a lecture never could.
They connect kids to history. Classics are a window into other eras and the “great conversation” that has shaped our world.
They grow empathy. Stepping into another person’s life, time, and struggles builds compassion and understanding.
They shape a biblical worldview. Many classics wrestle honestly with truth, good and evil, and the big questions of life.
They’re simply beautiful. Great literature is a lifelong gift of delight — books your kids will treasure and return to.

How to Choose Classics Your Kids Will Actually Love

Start with your child’s interests and current reading level — a good fit beats a “great book” they’ll never finish.
Read aloud together, especially with younger kids; hearing the language makes it come alive.
Try audiobooks for challenging texts — comprehension still counts.
Don’t force every title. Pick the classics that fit your family and season.
Read alongside your kids and talk about it — discussion is where the treasure is mined.

Meredith shares her favorite picks and more tips in the episode — press play above and start building a lifelong love of great books.

More Book Love From Finish Well

Today’s sponsor is Powerline Productions. Powerline Productions wants to equip you to be a world changer and raise world changers. They offer curriculum, unit studies, high school courses, Bible studies, cookbooks, and How-to-Homeschool books. Find them at PowerlineProd.com.

Show Notes:

Why I Urge You to Read

I grew up surrounded by “bookophiles.”

I loved to read! In high school, I made a list of classics to read. When I was experiencing pregnancy sickness I finally read the Russians. (tip for Russian literature—list names on a notecard.)

Read the books the historians write about and talk about. E.G. Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Why Should Your Read Old Books instead of Just Books Written in the late 20^th and 21^st Century?

Books have been dumbed down.

Many adults would have trouble reading children’s books written in 1800s and early 1900s.

7 Benefits of Reading Classics

Reading classics will make you smarter and strengthen your ability to think and make logical conclusions. A brain workout, flex your brain muscles. Improve your comprehension.
Reading classics will improve your vocabulary. It will expose you to a richer, more intellectual vocabulary. In addition, there is more description, conversation, and character development.
Reading classics will increase your attention span. Blogs are shorter. Commercials are shorter. Movie scenes are shorter. Trains our brain to focus for long periods of time.
Reading classic books will help you understand literary references that used to go over your head. “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” “Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”
Reading classics will have a deeper understanding of history with its culture, cultural context, beliefs, and values. Even historical fiction often puts values of today into the story set in yesterday.
Reading classic books will develop your character and compassion. Times may change, but human nature and the problems people face don’t change. There is nothing new under the sun. Identifying with people from different times and places will stretch your heart.
Reading classics will bring joy to your life. Everyone loves a good story. Everyone loves an intellectual challenge. Whether you are reading literature or living books, there is nothing like the pleasure of a good book.

Where Can I find classics to read?

Boy do I have reading lists for you! Check our reading lists for every age imaginable: http://www.joyfulandsuccessfulhomeschooling.com/books/reading-lists/

What if Classics are too Hard?

You may have to build up to reading some of the classics because the reading level of modern books is so low. Start with some children’s classics like Little Women or Hans Brinker.

A Day at Home with Roadschool Moms

March 2, 2018 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

What does a typical homeschool day look like with the Roadschool Moms team? Hit the replay from Episode #167 Roadschool Moms Radio to find out!

Mary Beth begins the broadcast with tales from her recent visit to The City Museum. She reveals this monstrosity of a museum is one of the most engaging, fabulous attractions visited by her family in their 7 years as a fulltime family on the road. The biggest tip from this segment of Roadschool Moms Radio is the 6 Must Have Things to take on your own roadschool adventure to this everchanging playground for all ages. (Note: this attraction sells knee pads in their gift shop. What?)

This episode provides listeners with a look at a Day at Home with the Roadschool Moms co-hosts. Listening to the roadschooling duo chit chat about their week gives a snapshot of how each pairs this learning style with the adventure that can be found in a normal homeschool routine. The replay is a live recording by the Roadschool Moms team from wherever in the world they are. Holly broadcasts from her back porch in Central Florida. Across the country, Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher calls in from behind the wheel from a lesser known Crossroads of America in west central Indiana. These two are on a mission to encourage and inspire Roadschool Moms everywhere to receive each day as a gift; and, to keep eyes peeled for the next turn where education meets adventure. Hit the replay to hear more about this idea that will unsabatoge your homeschool and your life.

Roadschool from the Back Porch

Holly shares her love for nature from every facet of The Giles Frontier. She talks about a roadschool adventure not so long ago with the manatee in her homestate. Pictured left is a shot of her homeschool pack on a visit to Crystal River Preserve. This week’s show intro is followed with Holly’s personal experience of how she began homeschooling. She reveals the challenges her family faced when oldest son Grayson had a stroke early in his life. What unfolds next is what led to the family’s homeschool journey. This homeschool veteran gives many examples of how easy it is to embark on a learning lifestyle revival. Looking for more direction from Holly? Check out the many Adventure Classes directed by this backyard naturalist this spring! Hit the replay to hear more of Holly’s inspiration and encouragement.

Roadschool from Behind the Wheel

Mary Beth reflects how the Road Trip Teacher was formed from her early homeschooling experiences on the road. She admits that mistakes were made by the dozen in her first years of school at home, an example she vehemently discourages against. This homeschool mama reminds her homeschooling sisters to stay in their own lane. She encourages others to take a year or even two to find your groove. Stay out of your own way! That’s a sentiment that both Roadschool Moms wildly agree on. The team also touches on the labels of unchooling and eclectic learning styles. A brief talk about curriculum also is discussed.

Finally, each of these moms talk about a typical homeschool week from the back porch and behind the wheel. The Road Trip Teacher talks specifics about days of the week and how roadschool unfolds during different seasons of the family travel schedule. She gives examples of her kid’s resources including how Notgrass History is being used to gain four full credit for her high schooler. Holly elaborates on a week with her crew that includes the family lawn business, chores, and homeschool fundamentals.

Roadschool Moms Chit-Chat-o’Meter – Fast forward to listen:

8:10 How we started homeschooling
18:10 Labeling your homeschool
29:35 Curriculum talk
37:05 A view of our week

Prairie Life book club.

More about Roadschool Moms

Looking for a roadmap for your next learning adventure? Scroll through the RSM library on iTunes to find more than 165 podcast replays.

Homeschool enrollment is on the rise. As a result, more and more families are moving into a home on wheels. Further, the Roadschool Moms record this broadcast to present resources that meet the challenges of today’s roadschooler. These roadschool defined adventures don’t stop there. Holly Giles, founder of The Giles Frontier, and Mary Beth Goff, creator of Road Trip Teacher, team up every week to offer listeners a fresh take on homeschooling from the back porch of your home and behind the wheel across America’s backyard.

Roadschool Moms: Season 12

Filed Under: Road School Moms Tagged With: adventure, back porch, behind the wheel, discover, experience, explore, homeschool, interest led, learning, no rv needed, roadschool, roadschool moms

Roadschool: No RV Needed!

February 20, 2018 by mediaangels Leave a Comment

The Roadschool Moms team hits the ground running in episode #166. Roadschooling with no RV needed? You bet! Mary Beth begins the broadcast with news that after 165 hours of Roadschool Mom fun & fellowship, KT is stepping away from the podcast. Kimberly and her family are being led on a new adventure in full-time ministry. Holly Giles, the creator of The Giles Frontier, has joined the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network and will fill the shoes with her own sweet and sassy style.

The subject of this podcast scheduled a few months ago couldn’t have been any better. It is the perfect time to explore roadschool adventure from the back porch and behind the wheel! The replay is a live recording by the Roadschool Moms team from wherever in the world they are. Holly broadcasts from her back porch in Central Florida. Across the country, Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher calls in from the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Trail Area near Vandalia, IL. The dynamic duo are on a mission to encourage and inspire Roadschool Moms everywhere to use each day as a gift in the next roadschool adventure. Hit the replay to hear more about this idea that will unsabatoge your homeschool and your life.