16 Ways to Give Back During the Holidays Looking for ways to give back during the holidays? I hope that this list inspires you and puts you and your family in the giving spirit! Today the holidays seem to be more about getting than giving. Gifts, gifts, and more gifts. We’re drowning in consumerism. The true meaning of the season has been overshadowed by expensive toys and gadgets. Our children make extensive wish lists based on the most wanted toys of the season, and honestly… what does that profit us? Nothing. This year we are going to do more giving and less getting. There is something so s ..read more

For a lot of us, teaching reading is one of the most stressful parts of homeschooling. What if I told you that you could boost your child’s reading levels in just 15 minutes per day? Also, while your child will need your support and occasional assistance it is something they can do independently? Reading Eggs is an online comprehensive reading program that can be done on a computer or an app for a tablet- available for iPad or Android. You may want to reduce your child’s screen time rather than increase it. Sometimes it is more of a pro than a con to let tech help you out. In our modern world ..read more

This post was written by Math With Purpose for the 2023 Back to School Bash. By the end of Grade 2, students need to master 15 different addition and subtraction word problem types.  This isn’t your standard put together and take away situations that we usually think of when we consider addition and subtraction.  This includes understanding the part-whole relationship of addition and subtraction and being able to apply it in different ways.  It even includes comparison situations where the words more and fewer are used to represent an operation.  Let’s take a moment to expl ..read more

It’s that time of year again. While other families may not be thinking about the studies of the upcoming year just yet, if you’re homeschooling, you certainly are. You’ve hit the curriculum sales and researched the educational methodologies and styles that will best suit your students this year. You probably have a good idea of what curriculum you’re using, and some of you overachievers have been at it since early July– good for you! Or, you may still be looking for curricula or ways you can supplement the curricula you have. If you’re like me, supplementary material comes into play a lot, esp ..read more

This post was written by Aimee from Play ‘N Talk for the 2023 Back to School Bash! As parents, we all want the best for our children, especially when it comes to their education. One of the fundamental skills we aim to instill in our kids is the ability to read and spell confidently. While numerous methods are available, none can match the effectiveness and long-term benefits of play-based learning. In this blog post, we will delve into why play-based learning using a systematic phonics program is superior to other teaching methods when it comes to developing essential reading and spelling ski ..read more

This post was written by Art by Dena for the 2023 Back to School Bash. I never wanted to teach. It didn’t interest me in the slightest. My younger sister did, and she irritated me (as little sisters do, especially when you have to share a room with them) by playing teacher, complete with grade books, red pens, and her greatest joy in life… chalk and a chalkboard. We grew up (sort of) and she stopped irritating me. But neither of us became teachers. Ten years ago, I was approached by the head a newly-formed art institute in my neighborhood here in Israel. She had seen my paintings in a show, a ..read more

This post was written by Funnix for the 2023 Back to School Bash. Research Validated. Child Approved. Funnix makes learning easy for Pre-K through 3rd Grade. Our explicit instruction approach, coupled with engaging stories, will transform your child into an avid reader faster than any other program. Each carefully sequenced lesson delivers a dramatic adventure that will leave your youngster begging for more. With 220 lessons built on Authentic Direct Instruction, Funnix Beginning Reading is the homeschooling tool you’ve been hoping for. Today’s reading instruction programs ..read more

How Can I Help My Struggling Reader? Structured literacy (Orton-Gillingham) therapy is the gold standard for treating literacy challenges such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. At Lexercise, we’ve built an online platform, based on the structured literacy approach, that helps your family get this critical help from your home, and on your schedule. Through our online dyslexia programs, we provide customized lessons, interactive games, and engaging activities to help your child master reading and spelling. What is the Structured Literacy Approach? Structured literacy is a multisensory, interacti ..read more

This post was written by Diane Welch, Founder of Learning Language Arts Through Literature for the 2023 Back to School Bash. When I first started homeschooling over 35 years ago, each of my children had a separate book for spelling, vocabulary, grammar, writing, and reading. Teaching three children meant 15 workbooks to work through each day. Sometimes it would take us from two to three hours to complete them and, while the workbooks were filled in correctly, what was being taught didn’t make it into their actual writing. After being introduced to Charlotte Mason and reading Ru ..read more

This post was written by the creators of The Reading Game for the 2023 Back to School Bash. Your child can be reading their first book in a week with this award-winning box set for early readers from the author of the Wordly Wise series! These fun memory-matching card games with picture flashcards and content-rich storybooks were developed to build confidence for beginning and struggling readers. The staged learning format first teaches individual words through game play, followed by short sentences on picture flashcards, then graduates to a full-length storybook. This format ensures success ..read more