by Michael Leppert [Note: Anyone involved in homeschooling who talks with parents teetering upon its threshold hears this question, in one form or another, usually right after the “socialization” issue has been addressed. Either the inquiring parent flatly states that “I am not qualified to teach my own children”, or asks “Am I qualified?” with a hopeful, searching look in his/her eyes. To the latter parents, since I cannot speak to you in person, this article is addressed. To begin with: More than likely, ‘Yes, you are qualified.’] I have two points to address: The first being that parents wh ..read more

How To Teach Nature Journaling by John Muir Laws and Emilie Lygren Illustrated by John Muir Laws 280 pages, 8.5” x 11” illustrated, soft cover ISBN 978-1-59714-490-2 The Laws Guide To Nature Drawing and Journaling Written & Illustrated by John Muir Laws https://johnmuirlaws.com/ 303 pages, 8.5” x 11” illustrated, soft cover ISBN 978-1-59714-315-8 Both Published by HeyDay Books www.heydaybooks.com Reviewed by Joseph Grayhaim These two books represent a tremendous resource in instruction in drawing, painting, writing all in the service of observing nature and appreciating its wonders that ar ..read more

By Michael Leppert Cast iron cookware is a symbol of the Wild West for many Americans. The chuckwagon on a cattle drive was well-stocked with cast iron pots and pans. If it is seasoned properly, cast iron is non-stick and much healthier than Teflon-coated aluminum. It can withstand high cooking temperatures and is designed for open flames in a campfire or a gas burner on the home kitchen stove. Technically, cast iron is an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content greater than 2%. It is melted, poured into a mold and allowed to solidify. It can withstand very high temperatures and does not leach ..read more

by Mary Leppert When I first opened the box, even though I haven’t been homeschooling in many years, I got very, very excited! I removed everything from the box to get to the 3-ring Third Grade complete binder, that has everything any mom or dad would need to know to homeschool their third grader! When you first open the Teacher’s Manual, you find a nice opening letter from the author. There is a very useful checklist of everything that you will cover during the school year. These checklists are something I would refer to regularly. Each is broken d ..read more

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sight line of earth and sun. The time it takes for the moon’s shadow to cross this sight line is expressed as partial and total eclipses. This year, the sun will be near its solar maximum magnetic field activity, when streamers of solar ejections are likely to be visible and other solar fireworks may also be seen. The partial eclipse will be visible in all 48 contiguous states and the total eclipse will be visible from Texas to Maine and into Canada. In times past, the ability of a royal’s astronomical advisors to predict an eclipse, coul ..read more

Multi Award Winning Website for Teachers & Parents A tried and true method to spark a child’s interest in reading and language arts is to read aloud. But parents and teachers have time constraints that make reading aloud virtually prohibitive or scarce. The creators of One More Story have a solution — let their large library of award-winning picture books with professional actor narration and top flight music and sound effects do some of the reading! Imagine, allowing your child to hear excellent storybooks (Stellaluna) read aloud by professional actors and simply listening, as a part of h ..read more

Finding out what type of “learner” your child is can mean treading on foreign ground for most parents. “Learning styles” is still a relatively new, largely uncharted territory for everyone but specialists in this field. “Learning styles” is a philosophy that recognizes that we all perceive and process information in unique ways. Discovering your own or your child’s learning styles is time- and energy-consuming—but worthwhile. The majority of schools and teaching institutions are just starting to consider “learning styles” a meaningful way to analyze how children learn, and few have a clue how ..read more

By Karen Lange With the technological advancements we are experiencing, many parents are asking if it’s a necessary subject for their homeschool. They recognize the connection between handwriting and fine motor skills but wonder, with technology advancing daily, will it be necessary for the future? According to kidshealth.org, handwriting is a “complex task” that builds fine motor, reading, and critical- thinking skills. It illustrates the importance of words by showing children the connection between reading and writing. As children get older, they say it helps build confidence and note-takin ..read more

By T. D. What’s a way to help your kids learn to be creative and confident while having fun as a family at the same time? The answer is Improv. Improv, short for improvisational theater, is not just for late night television or nightclubs. It can be a fun — and clean — way for children of all ages to learn through play. You probably already use Improvisation in your homes without realizing it. Charades is a great Improv game.  Acting out silent clues for your partner to guess an answer in a particular category such as fictional heroes or famous presidents can be a fun way to review materi ..read more

By Judi Munday, www.helpinschool.net If your child consistently has difficulty with learning and schoolwork on a consistent basis, you may wonder if you have been doing something wrong. You may even have asked yourself whether the child needs a different teacher or whether your child might be a “slow learner.” Perhaps, you’ve wondered whether you are not teaching with the right “learning style.” Let me reassure you! After helping hundreds of homeschool families, I have seldom found a parent to be the primary cause for a child’s learning struggles! To start, you should check whether you are usi ..read more