The following post is from Jennifer Burke, a lifelong educator: If I wasn’t there when they were born, I might question whether our sons were truly brothers. I think most moms feel this way - their kids couldn't be more different, even if they had "ordered them" as opposites. When Adam was little, I understood…
The following post is from Jennifer Burke, a lifelong educator: Most students know exactly how many days until summer vacation. Students who are intrinsically motivated interpret this as pressure to buckle down and work even harder. I’m guessing that none of those students live at your house. You’re in good company – students like that…
The following post is from Jennifer, a lifelong educator: Many schools make spring conferences optional for parents, but I believe they are just as important as the ones you schedule in the fall. As a teacher, I view the fall conference as the one in which I am trying to glean background information from you, the parent, about…
The following post is from Jennifer Burke, a lifelong educator: As we look ahead to a few more months of school, does your child’s homework feel more like your homework? Are there too many arguments at your house over school assignments? As a teacher and a parent, I have to admit that the very word…
I'm joining the Day in a Life series from Simple Homeschool to give you a peek into our day! Here's what Wednesday, 2/1 looked like in our house: Please note that this was a very productive day, both because of my early wakeup and because I was keeping track of what I was getting done…
A couple weeks ago, I shared a video with some of my thoughts on technology and education. If technology is having a profound impact on education as a whole, though, that impact is felt even more strongly by homeschoolers. Technology is literally revolutionizing the way families "do school", opening additional opportunities, connecting them to one…
This giveaway is now closed! The winner is Miranda ([email protected])! I'm always looking for fun ways to help my girls learn and to reinforce the concepts we're covering in our formal curriculum, and Carlito C. Caterpillar's Math House Games definitely fit the bill! The c3pla Sensory Math Teaching System was created by Domenico Marcario, M.S.,…
I've mentioned before that I had three teachers in junior high and high school who each contributed to my success with their negativity rather than their encouragement. Instead of building me up, like teachers are supposed to, they really did the opposite, both to my face and behind my back. Lately, I've been thinking a…
This week marked the first week of school for many families and the last week of summer for many others. Whether your kids are already back in school or heading back soon, the internet is full of fun freebies to celebrate the start of a new year, and here are some of my favorites: School…
The following post is from Jason & Jennifer Bruce of New Season Design: The back-to-school season comes with all sorts of different emotions... excitement, fear, anticipation, eagerness, anxiety. And those emotions aren't just for the kids! It's hard for many parents to make the back-to-school transition. There are lunches to pack, homework to oversee, and…