Designing a home-centered life: learning, exploring, and creating with our five littles
My oldest and I just completed his year as a Classical Conversations Challenge B student, and my first year directing Challenge B. As I begin preparations for next year's crop of students, I thought it might be helpful to share what we've learned here. (Really, sharing it was a suggestion from a friend. Thanks, Candra!) Typically, in the summer, … [Read more...]
Friends, we've been part of a Classical Conversations homeschool community since my oldest was 5. He's now 13 and in Challenge A. All along, I thought I would love to direct a Challenge class one day. Well, everything lined up for me to direct Challenge B next year. My oldest will be entering Challenge B with me and I'm very excited. Most of his … [Read more...]
Y'all, let's talk Challenge. My oldest started this year. It feels like one more sign that he's growing older. Men's clothing, taller than me, deepening voice, and starting Challenge. Whew. We started with Classical Conversations when he was 5 and Challenge seemed a long way off. But, here we are 12 weeks into his first year. He's doing great! And … [Read more...]
{I say with the utmost affection,} You might be a math geek if you play board slam at home at night with your husband. You might be a competitive math geek if you happen to forget to tell your husband he can use cubes and squares to get the answers he needs. Ha! But, either way, here are some ideas for keeping the game interesting … [Read more...]
Okay, confession time. Our CC memory work review time has been a little chaotic. I blame the children. ;) Truly, there are four of them. They move and talk and distract. Then add in the toddler (he makes 5) and it's all a big fat mess. My threshold for frenzied school times is low, so we've modified how our review time works a little bit in order … [Read more...]
Guess what? Julie's back! I know y'all love her posts, because she shares in such a gracious, honest way. Now you know just one of the reasons we're friends. Anyhoo, today, Julie is back to share her experience with Essentials. She's been an Essentials parent for three years and an Essentials tutor for one year. So you're getting the scoop from … [Read more...]
Guys, I'm a firm believer in the the classical model of education and believe it will only work for us, if we work the model. As a result, at home we approach our memory work in three basic ways: review games, classical notebooks, and reading. So, as I'm planning for this next year, I'm1. Selecting a rotation of review games. … [Read more...]
We are wrapping up our third year as part of a Classical Conversations community now. In this post, I'm going to do my best to share the basics of how a Classical Conversations community works.Classical Conversations is a Classical, Christian community education program for homeschool families designed with the goal to know God and … [Read more...]
I'm excited to announce that I've partnered with Classical Conversations Writers Circle to swap blog posts. I'll be sharing articles I've written for them to post on the Classical Conversations site and their writers will be sharing an article on my site with all of you. Fun, right? My first article is Taking A Summer Break Without … [Read more...]
UPDATE: Addie Krull, congrats!, you are the winner of a copy of Echo in Celebration! Friends, the CC at Home book club selection #2 is Echo in Celebration: A Call to Home Centered Education by Leigh Bortins. I've only just begun reading Echo. I recently finished re-reading Leigh's The Core and I must say, the feel of them is so … [Read more...]