I came to Rainbow with a foreign language background. You see, I taught French at public high schools in Peoria and Decatur, IL. This included the International Baccalaureate and AP programs. But this almost seems like ancient history now that I have been working with homeschoolers for the last 10 years. My sons are now 25 (Nick) and 23 (Adam) and following their paths in life. My husband Les and I live in a lake cabin in central IL where we enjoy boating and riding the golf cart around.
I have a B.A. from Illinois State University in French/Secondary Education and an M.A. in Curriculum from St. Xavier University of Chicago. Working at Rainbow has opened up a different side of education for me. I find the world of homeschooling the best place to be, especially as public schools are deciding what their future will look like.
On a personal note, I have lived in Europe and traveled extensively. I've been a professional mural artist and continue to create art for friends and family. I'm an avid reader and a Master Gardener. Working at Rainbow Resource Center has been a blessing. I get to continue "teaching" even though I'm no longer in the classroom and love helping parents teach their own children!
Is it just me, or are homeschooled kids particularly good at exploring their interests? There seems to be a natural curiosity that, when combined with a flexible schedule, leads them on all sorts of rabbit trails. With time and research, practice and development, these interests can become a hobby. These hobbies can become a high school elective and, if we are lucky, these interests can lead to a lifelong profession!
Summertime at Rainbow Resource Center means it’s time for our annual writing contest! Students from ages 7 to 18 (by January 1, 2025) who wish to participate will write and illustrate an original story involving time travel. Two or more winners in each age group are selected by a team of Rainbow Resource judges and will win cash prizes. One of these winners is selected as the Grand Prize Winner and will be published and sold on our website! Keep reading to learn more about the official rules and how to participate.
Gaps, holes, chasms — call them what you will, but they are a real fear for some parents and something they will avoid if possible. Gaps typically happen when you make a big change. It can be from one math program to another, or it could be from attending school to homeschooling. How do you fill these gaps in understanding?
If you are following a traditional school year or have a schedule unique to your family, the half-way mark is a fair time to look at your curriculum choices. What do we like? What is not working for us? If you feel that you are missing something, supplemental materials might be helpful to plug those gaps!
An assessment is a tool to measure a student’s understanding. While it can be a 10-question written quiz, there are loads of options for assessing a learner. Let’s talk about a few you can try.
It’s what we want as parents. It’s what our students want as learners. But how does it happen? How do we get our children learning and working without our direct guidance? Let's look at the stages of their journey.
Something we often hear from parents is how much they are learning about history when homeschooling their children. We offer some amazing options for history in a variety of formats. But is that the difference? Is that what is speaking to you? Or is it that you have more life experience and are applying your context to the content being taught. I would argue the latter. So, how do you make history relatable for your students?
Parents, do you ever worry that you are not “a teacher?” It's ok! I want to encourage you by reminding you that "how to teach" is not always obvious. The secret is to make connections at every step. Connect new information to existing knowledge. Connections equal retention. Retention equals learning. You may have to think about the process at first, but it will become natural, and you will turn everything into a learning opportunity.
If you’re familiar with our “FAMILY Factors” for choosing curriculum and have thought through your family’s goals and unique characteristics, then the Flex Factors chart will help you put curriculum options in perspective. Think specifically about your available time to homeschool.
I am amazed daily by what we can learn: all the opportunities for learning and discovery available and accessible to us. This is something to intentionally instill in our children: the importance of looking for those opportunities and looking forward to learning new things. Is it just me, or does...
How time consuming is this curriculum to teach? What is the time investment for each lesson? Does it require advance planning and preparation time, one-on-one instructional segments, or both? These are all important considerations when it comes to making a curriculum decision. We convey this...
It seems that kids these days have it easier when it comes to finding information. Just google it, and bam, there’s the answer! They don’t have to drive over to the library and pull large reference volumes off the shelf just to find the answer to a question or do a quick fact-check. Google is a...
You've bought the perfect writing curriculum and even lined up a tutor, but is your student truly equipped to thrive? In homeschooling, success in writing often hinges less on the program itself and more on the personalized environment, tools, and process that make the subject feel approachable and...
Even if you’ve managed to get into a nice schedule after the holidays, the winter months can seem to drag on, and sometimes winter doldrums set in. Kids are longing to go outside but the weather doesn’t allow it. Why not overcome those winter blues by incorporating games into your homeschool...
