Election year gives you a special opportunity to teach your student the process America goes through to pick a president and other elected officials. There are many ways to help students learn about state, local, and federal election processes, understand the power of their voice and the vote, and become engaged participants in our nation’s constitutional republic. Discover how to incorporate the topic of elections into your school year!
Teaching our children to read is one of the most rewarding things we will do as homeschool parents. And it is an accomplishment we should celebrate with our children. But as phonics are mastered and we shift our focus to the other English language arts skills like spelling and grammar, I want to encourage you to take time to help children find joy and purpose in reading. The helpful acronym "LEADER" highlights 6 key benefits of reading for children!
Rainbow Resource Center is located in the heart of the Midwest, and staff members experience the beautiful season of fall with cool temperatures and colorful trees. It is a favorite time for families to enjoy harvest parties, hay rack rides, bonfires, orchards, smores, and caramel apples. Nature hikes include crunching around in the newly fallen leaves and collecting many different vibrant colors. These outings present a great opportunity to explore or discuss science with your students!
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?
Spelling does not come naturally for all children. In our homeschool, I had one child who naturally excelled at spelling, while my second child struggled with spelling until high school. Over time, his spelling improved with creativity and effort. If you have a struggling speller, here are a few things that we did at home that you can try.
Why not introduce mysteries to your children—particularly if your children are still finding their feet in reading or are struggling to enjoy the process? Children’s mysteries don’t include the problems that seem to dominate adult mysteries, yet they can be just as engaging—and a compelling competition to screen time. Here are some practical benefits mysteries provide for all types of readers!
Are you a parent of a reluctant reader waiting for your child to find reading fun? Don’t give up! This perceived delay may not be about reading difficulties but more about your child recognizing the joy and the why of reading. As I talk to parents who are concerned about a child reading, we have found that nonfiction leveled readerswill repeatedly open that door for their reluctant readers.
There’s more than one way to help children find the joy in reading. Often, to encourage a student in reading our first go-to is fiction. Not every child, however, responds well to that genre. If that's the case for your child, try biographies! Biographies can open the door for some real-life exciting reading. And, research show that this genre benefits a reader well beyond just the reading itself.
“Science of Reading” (SOR) is now required by 30 state education departments. If you're new to the term and want to learn more, it’s a set of requirements rooted in systematic phonics. In this article, we’ll discuss the key elements!
The latest buzz in math nowadays seems to be teaching kids the “why” behind math and emphasizing multiple strategies when working math problems. While there is nothing wrong with these pedagogies and there are huge benefits to these approaches, one must not forget the importance of teaching simple arithmetic. Let's look at ways to approach learning and mastering these basic math skills.
We fill our lives with a lot of busyness. In the case of homeschool parents, this can put a lot of pressure on mom and dad to do their best multitasking on a day-to-day basis. You always have a multitude of things to accomplish – not only homeschooling your children, but also cleaning, laundry,...
You have made the decision to homeschool! If you are anything like me, the fear, anxiety, and nerves soon start to weigh on your decision. The self-talk begins to chip away at the resolve over the well-researched, prayed-over, and supported decision you just made. Whether your first child is...
For my family, the end of the school year coincided with the beginning of my favorite season: garage sale season! That’s what I call it here in the Midwest. We’d visit towns near and far who were having neighborhood sales and spend the day seeing what treasures we could find! For my kids, they...
“One man’s junk is another man’s treasure!” In this article I want to talk about having a garage sale. I know, it’s a lot of work! But hear me out…During summer break (or at a time that is good for you), take the time to go through your house. We have done this just about every summer as a...
Pulling weeds isn’t the most exciting part of gardening, but it always brings me satisfaction. Some weeds come right out while others are stubborn and need a little extra pulling, often with a garden tool. When it has been hot and dry, I might even spray a little water first to make it easier....
