Brave Writer

Latest Episodes:

351. Hot Pink and the Art Museum Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

What changes when we stop rushing children toward the lesson we planned and start noticing the learning already unfolding?

A visit with Julie’s six-year-old granddaughter becomes a fresh look at poetry, reading, art museums, and the remarkable power of one-on-one attention. We explore how treasure hunts turn worksheets into quests, why a child’s “wrong” answer contains useful logic, and how patient observation helps us see familiar subjects differently.

Homeschooling does not always provide daily proof of progress. Often, we collect a few luminous moments surrounded by plenty of ordinary space. Join us as we learn to trust that the pearls are enough.

Resources:

Registration is open now for Movie Discussion Club: Captivating Stories (Christopher Nolan) and many other Brave Writer classes!
You can find “Every Face I Look at Seems Beautiful to Me” on Melissa’s blog, Here in the Bonny Glen
Check out the special offer at Talkbox.MOM/brave and start speaking a new language with your kids from day one!
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention.
If you’ve ever thought of trying out online music lessons, now is the time! Claim your free Maestro Music lessons at Free Music Lessons for Brave Writer Families | Maestro Music .
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

350. Pro Tips for Fabulous Field Trips Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

What if some of the richest learning in your homeschool happened after you walked out the front door?

We’re exploring how to plan family outings that turn science, history, art, literature, music, sports, and local culture into hands-on experiences. We share what to pack in a reliable go-bag, how to prepare children for unfamiliar environments, and why a little advance exposure can make an outing more exciting. You’ll also hear dozens of affordable field-trip ideas, from factory tours and art scavenger hunts to author homes, grocery stores, women’s sports, and geocaching.

Grab your calendar, choose an adventure, and make room for learning beyond the lesson plan.

Resources:

Registration is open now for Building Brave Writers: Description, Becoming a Critical Thinker, and other awesome Brave Writer classes!
Check out the special offer at Talkbox.MOM/brave and start speaking a new language with your kids from day one!
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Find watercolor pencils (along with our favorite readalouds and nonfiction) in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

349. Preparing for the First Week of Homeschool Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

What if the best first day of homeschool begins long before the first lesson?

As summer stretches toward a new school year, we’re talking about the kind of preparation that actually supports family life: flexible routines, child-centered planning, cozy spaces, printed materials, backup plans, and first-day rituals that invite kids into learning with curiosity instead of pressure.

We explore how to protect homeschool mornings, plan from behind, use Poetry Teatime as a reset, build in experiences your kids care about, and let the seasons of the year shape your energy.

Pour a cup of tea, grab your calendar, and begin imagining a homeschool year that feels both doable and alive.

Resources:

Here’s where to find our Intuitive Planning Tool and our Bingo template
Our free Brave Writer Summer Camp is happening now—July 22nd and 23rd!!
Check out the special offer at Talkbox.MOM/brave and start speaking a new language with your kids from day one!
Did you know Brave Writer has a partnership with The Homeschool Printing Company? When you print with them, they give you a high-quality printed copy at a low price, and they put you at the front of the line for printing! (USA only) Here’s the special print form for Brave Writer products.
LIsten to Julie and Melissa’s interview with Emily Glankler about her US History program for high-school students
Find Julie’s beloved long-arm stapler (and a bunch of great reading suggestions!) in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Registration begins July 20 for Building Brave Writers: Description, Becoming a Critical Thinker, and other awesome Brave Writer classes!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

348. Kids Don't Learn the Way You Think They Do Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

What if rigor isn’t about children sitting still, pushing through tedium, and finishing every worksheet without complaint?

In this episode, we reimagine rigor as a meaningful challenge: the kind children willingly embrace when the goal matters to them. From math games and secret codes to bird lists, comics, Pokémon tea time, and writing that reaches an interested audience, we explore how hard work becomes inviting when it is rooted in play, connection, and curiosity.

We share practical ways to build reading, writing, handwriting, spelling, math, and science skills without draining the joy from learning.

Join us as we rethink what rigorous learning can look like at home.

Resources:

Learn a new language with Talkbox! Try it out at talkbox.MOM/brave
Join us for our free Brave Writer Summer Camp on July 22nd and 23rd!
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Registration begins July 20 for Gamers Write! Minecraft Edition, Becoming a Critical Thinker, and other awesome Brave Writer classes!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

347. ADHD and Homeschooling Part 2 Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever wondered whether your scattered systems, duplicate scissors, or frozen to-do list are actually character flaws, or clues to how your brain works?

In this second conversation about ADHD in the homeschooling parent, we look at the inattentive traits that can hide behind daydreaming, over-planning, lost objects, and task paralysis. We talk about accommodations, body doubling, medication, the ADHD tax, and why evaluations can miss neurodivergent homeschooled kids whose lives are already beautifully adapted to their needs.

Most of all, we name the relief that comes when shame gives way to information. Listen in and let’s make room for every brain in the homeschool.

Resources:

DIVA questionnaire for ADHD: Advancedassessments.co.uk
Sign up for our free Brave Writer Summer Camp!
Registration for our Semester of Classes opens July 13-17
Check out the special offer at Talkbox.MOM/brave and start speaking a new language with your kids from day one!
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

346. ADHD and Homeschooling Part 1 Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

What if the neurodivergence in your homeschool is not only in your child, but in you?

In this honest and eye-opening conversation, we explore what happens when the home educator begins to recognize ADHD traits in themselves. From task initiation and time blindness to hyperfocus, novelty, shame, doom boxes, and the relief of a diagnosis, we talk about how our wiring shapes the homeschool experience.

We also name the gifts: enthusiasm, curiosity, side quests, deep dives, and the ability to turn education itself into a living adventure.

Tune in for Part One of a conversation many of us didn’t know we needed.

Resources:

DIVA questionnaire for ADHD: advancedassessments.co.uk
Sign up for our free Brave Writer Summer Camp!
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration is open!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

345. DIY Writing Retreats for Kids Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

What if a writing retreat didn’t require a plane ticket to Ireland?

This week, we explore what makes writing feel spacious, playful, and alive. From Julie’s memoir retreat on the Irish Sea to Melissa’s fiction experiments with point of view, we talk about how atmosphere, community, sensory detail, and low-stakes exploration can help writers of every age drop beneath the noise of daily life.

We also share practical ways to create a mini writing retreat at home for your kids, complete with snacks, freedom, feedback, and delight.

Join us as we reimagine writing as nourishment for the intellect and the spirit.

Resources:

Catch the replays of our free Brave Writer training webinars
Shop our June sale!
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration is open!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

344. Courageous Divorce: An Interview with Alisha Roth Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

What happens when faith, prayer, endurance, and every “right” effort still do not make a marriage safe?

In this brave and deeply honest conversation, we talk with Alisha Roth, author of Courageous Divorce, about young marriage, religious expectations, abuse, motherhood, homeschooling, community loss, and the difficult clarity that can come when a woman finally listens to her own body and life.

Together, we explore divorce not as failure, but as a serious boundary, sometimes the one that makes healing, safety, forgiveness, and a more honest future possible.

Listen in for a tender conversation about faith, courage, and choosing to truly live.

Resources:

Visit Alisha Roth’s website at Alisharoth.com
Alisha’s Instagram: @littlewomenfarmhouse
Find Courageous Divorce in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration is open!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

343. Partnership Writing with Dawn Smith Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

Why teach writing when AI can generate paragraphs in seconds?

In this episode, Melissa Wiley talks with Brave Writer president Dawn Smith about why writing still matters, maybe more than ever. Together, they explore writing as a tool for thinking, voice, discovery, and connection. We look at how kids develop their own style, why pre-writing conversations are part of the writing process, and how partnership writing helps children bridge the gap between ideas and words on the page. Plus, Dawn shares what’s new with Partnership Writing and how families can pair projects with Darts for a rich month of learning.

Tune in and reconnect with the deeply human work of writing.

Resources:

Catch the replays of our free Brave Writer training webinars
Shop our June sale!
Explore the Brave Writer high school program
Learn more about our mentor-led training program for Brave Writer parents
Find our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration is open!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

342. Brave Learning and Academics Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

What if academic standards didn’t have to threaten your homeschool rhythm?

In this episode, we explore how to translate grade-level expectations into the rich, lived learning already happening in your home. From Poetry Teatime to bird watching, baking, narration, read-alouds, and everyday conversations, we look at how whole experiences often contain the very skills listed in scope-and-sequence documents. Rather than turning homeschool into school-at-home, we can use standards as information, not intimidation.

Join us as we make peace with checklists, protect our children’s investment in learning, and celebrate the evidence already unfolding in daily life.

Resources:

Catch the replays of our free Brave Writer training webinars
Shop our June sale!
Visit the Brave Learner website at thebravelearner.com
Order your copy of The Brave Learner from the Brave Writer Book Shop
Brave Writer class registration is open!
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com

Connect with Julie:

Connect with Melissa:

Produced by NOVA

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