Homeschooling parents often ask how they can help their children learn to work independently. Independence is a skill that grows slowly and needs to be nurtured over time. Students need opportunities to practice repeatedly and gain confidence in their capabilities. They also need to know they can trust that an adult will be ready and available for support when needed. What is Independent Learning? In order to support our student’s growing need for independence, it can be helpful to first understand what we mean when we say, “independent learning.” Independent learning is formed around the idea ..read more

Homeschoolers usually spend a significant portion of their days at home. The many hours of projects, crafts, meals, and experiments that happen every day in a homeschooling house can add up to a significant amount of clutter and chaos. What are some ways to keep your home and your family from getting overwhelmed by this? Set Up Spaces for Easy Clean Up One key to keeping your homeschooling space tidy and functional is to set things up so it’s easy to clean up and start over when space is needed for another project. This means having a designated spot for everything, from pencils and paper to ..read more

Without the structure of a school day and a physical classroom environment, homeschooling families often need to find creative ways to stay motivated and keep their learning moving forward. Luckily, with the flexibility of homeschooling, there are plenty of ways to keep your student engaged in their work while still having fun! Here are some tips on how to motivate your homeschool student: 1. Understand Your Child’s Learning Preferences Every child learns differently. Some children enjoy hands-on activities while others enjoy quiet, focused work. Others may need more visual cues or may need to ..read more

By Gabe Moss, Oak Meadow High School Teacher Many families return from their winter holidays to an unpleasant surprise: the fact that their students are weeks behind in some or even all of their courses. This situation, while worrying, is neither unusual nor irredeemable: the “January Panic” is a common feature in the ebb and flow of any school year. While every student and family’s situation differs, the advice below will often help you negotiate and move forward from this academic speed bump. Remember That You’re Not Alone Part of what makes the January Panic so tricky is the feeling that yo ..read more

Rhythmic handwork is part of Oak Meadow’s coursework for grades one through three. Handcrafts, such as knitting, are exceptional activities for integrating thoughts, feelings, and actions. They can be tremendously harmonizing and satisfying. Learning how to knit is also particularly beneficial for children who are just learning to write. Knitting strengthens their fingers and hands, and helps them become more in control of their hand and finger movements. To help you get started, we’re offering suggestions and simple alternatives that will help to meet the “heart” of handwork, specifically in ..read more

Summer, or any break from formal schooling, is a great time to slow down and encourage children to read just for fun! Our K-8 teachers are constantly discovering new books and literature, and they love sharing their recommendations with Oak Meadow community. This summer reading list can be used to supplement your homeschool curriculum or as a nice break from day to day schooling. While we order these books by grade level, your student should feel free to explore whichever of these summer reading books catch their eye based on their interests and individual reading levels. Preschool to Kinderga ..read more

As a homeschooling parent, seeking balance is essential. If we’re out of balance and we try to teach our children, we diminish our effectiveness as teachers. We might miss the subtle cues in the learning process that enable us to be good teachers, or we might cause our children to become more imbalanced also, which reduces their ability to learn effectively. Here are some tips to help you maintain a sense of balance in the midst of your busy, messy, wonderful life. 1. Know your priorities Be clear with yourself about what is most important. Make sure everyone in the family knows what those th ..read more

The winter days in Vermont are blustery and bitter cold, but they can also be bright and beautiful with blue skies making the snow sparkle. Outdoor winter activities abound (if one dresses properly!) and of course homeschooling takes center stage indoors. But sometimes when the temperatures are in the negative double digits, even the sun isn’t quite enough to warm up weary homeschooling families. So have you tried making hot cocoa bombs? What are hot cocoa bombs? Hot cocoa bombs are an easy, trendy new way to make hot cocoa even more special and fun. Hot cocoa is a special treat no matter whe ..read more

How can I homeschool multiple children? If you’ve asked this question, you’re in good company. Meeting the needs of multiple children is a challenge for any parent. But homeschooling parents needs to be able to do it all day long. How is that possible? There is No One Right Way Homeschooling families run a wide gamut, from “regimented” to “easygoing.” Where does your family fit on this spectrum? Some parents would ideally prefer a more structured approach, but reality requires them to be more laid-back to make it work. Others find that a carefully planned rhythm helps them stay on track w ..read more

This scavenger hunt was originally featured in the Fall 2021 issue of Living Education. For an activity the whole family can enjoy together, try a scavenger hunt. You can make a list of items to find and have people pair up to see which team can find everything on the list first. Or you can make it a more cooperative game by having everyone work together to find the list of items. If you have pre-readers, you can draw simple pictures of what to find or cut out photos and create a Bingo-style card. Check off each item as it is discovered. Create your scavenger hunt list based on your locale and ..read more