Year 2013

Keeping Your Balance

Keeping Your Balance: Switch Things Around

It’s so much fun to see Charlotte Mason’s principles play out right in front of your eyes! Recently I was presenting the workshop “Charlotte Mason & Her Methods” at a homeschool convention. It was late at night after a full…

Charioteer

The Familiar Face of a Friend

This spring I am learning to treasure a certain Charlotte Mason phrase more deeply than ever. Charlotte talked about recognizing “the familiar face of a friend.” As we travel to various homeschool conventions across the country, it is a joy…

The Stuff They Left Behind portfolios

The Stuff They Left Behind

Several months ago, a friend posted a description of how she was using pictures of ancient artifacts with a group of children who were studying the book of Daniel. As I followed the links to those pictures, I became aware…

A Growing Time School Year Edition

New Calendar Journal: A Growing Time

Yesterday we spent a delightful hour meandering around a pretty botanical garden near our home. Clouds of white azaleas lined the walkways, rosebuds of every color peeked around pillars, and fuzzy gray goslings trailed after their parents in the pond.…

A Growing Time

While You’re Waiting

A few weeks ago as we backed the truck out of the driveway, I was delighted to see the first blossom on the Carolina Jessamine vine that grows around our mailbox on the curb. I had noticed several buds a…

A Growing Time

A Displaced Plant

Spring. A time of growth. The budding leaves and blooming phlox around my house are beautiful reminders of the truth that children learn in order to grow. Charlotte Mason believed that. Children learn in order to grow, not just to…

Laying Down the Rails for Children

Laying Down the Rails for Children

We’ve been talking about instilling good habits. Charlotte Mason likened that process to laying down railroad tracks upon which our children’s lives can run smoothly, without a lot of unnecessary bumping and jolting. Many people have told us that these…

Ballerina

The First Key to Good Habits: Repetition

A couple of evenings ago, my daughter and I enjoyed watching two ballet dancers, a husband and wife, perform to one of my favorite Beethoven pieces. Their movements were absolutely beautiful! We knew they were stretching and stressing their muscles…

Picture Study Portfolios

Monet, Van Gogh, and Titian Are Here!

Ever since we started publishing the Picture Study Portfolios, we’ve had requests for one on Claude Monet and one on Vincent van Gogh. People wanted those two artists not only because the beautiful quality of our art prints would do…

Keeping Your Balance

Keeping Your Balance: Masterly Inactivity

It is always interesting to hear the reasons different parents give for deciding to homeschool their children. We’ve heard many explanations and reasons over the years. But one thing we have never heard a parent say: “I’m homeschooling because I…

Women talking at a homeschool convention

Between the Lines at a Convention

We are gearing up for traveling to homeschool conventions over the next several weeks. And as I check each convention’s website for a schedule, I am reminded how much that goes on at a convention is not on the schedule.…

Homeschool Audiobooks

3 New Audiobooks from SCM

Our friends just made a 12-hour drive across four states with their four children. They listened to audiobooks on the trip. Another friend spends hours in her van each day, dropping off and picking up her oldest daughter in their…

5 Steps to Successful Narration

To Narrate and Discuss

The time has come for your child to perform the Act of Knowing. We’ve discussed the first three steps to a successful narration lesson: pick a good living book, look ahead and behind, and read the passage. Those steps are…

5 Steps to Successful Narration

Time to Read

We’ve been talking about the 5 steps to a successful narration lesson, and today we want to continue that series. So far we’ve discussed the importance of selecting a good living book. Book selection can make or break your child’s…