“If parents and teachers take a child’s interests seriously, opportunities to create meaningful connections to all kinds of subjects erupt into view” – Julie Bogart The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning and Life I recently began reading Julie Bogart’s, The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning and Life. The bookContinue reading Enchanted Learning
Making Decisions about High School
A few weeks ago the parents of middle school students began receiving information about high school information nights and enrollment dates. We found ourselves listening to information about academics, athletics, extracurricular activities and college requirements. Yet, it feels like just a couple years ago, I was making friends with the other kindergarten parents and schedulingContinue reading Making Decisions about High School
An Organized Studio
This weekend the studio got some attention. I organized our paper file cabinet and placed the most used types of paper in an organizer. Both my kids and the students I work with like having access to the paper and to the personal dry erase boards. When the paper was stored in the white flatContinue reading An Organized Studio
Learning to Read: Word Study
Learning to read often occurs around the age of six and continues to develop through childhood and into adolescence. Some young children learn to read before they are six-years-old and some children learn closer to eight-years-old. Learning to read is a lot like learning to walk, some children are early walkers and some walk closerContinue reading Learning to Read: Word Study
Learning about Place Value
Children begin to learn about place value from the time they are very young and they continue to make sense of our base ten number system through middle school. They use what they understand about numbers and place value to solve math problems. Young children will count by 1’s to solve simple addition and subtractionContinue reading Learning about Place Value
The Guided Learning Studio
Happy 2019! I am excited to start the new year with ideas about the kinds of learning and teaching happening in my home. I started this blog just about a year ago as a way to share the ways I encourage my kids’ interests. At the time, I was also supporting the learning needs ofContinue reading The Guided Learning Studio
Six Steps for Decorating Your Home
Happy New Year! In January, I will celebrate my blog’s first anniversary. I am very thankful for having this space to write and share my ideas about our learning environment and interest-based learning. I often share photos of my home and the ways we use our space for learning, homework, and making. It is importantContinue reading Six Steps for Decorating Your Home
Acceleration and Enrichment for Advanced Learners
Over the last several years, I have been interested in learning about the instructional and schooling needs of advanced learners. In my coursework in gifted education, the idea that most stood out for me is that learning should be based on a child’s or teen’s area of interest. As parents and educatorsContinue reading Acceleration and Enrichment for Advanced Learners
A Season for Handicrafts
During the holiday season I like to invite the kids to make and create. Sometimes we make cookies or a cake after school while we talk about our day. Then they are off to complete homework or play for awhile. On weekends and when the kids are out of school during winter breakContinue reading A Season for Handicrafts
Responding to Your Child’s Writing with Encouragement
It isn’t easy to know what to say when you young child shows you his latest writing piece. It might be a letter, a list, or a comic. Young children might show you a picture with some scribbles and an elementary aged child may have several sentences or several pages depending on herContinue reading Responding to Your Child’s Writing with Encouragement
