Homeschool Your Way

Latest Episodes:

WHY YOU SHOULD CHILL OUT: FACING YOUR HOMESCHOOL FEARS Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

Really. Just chill out. While your fears are totally normal, they are mostly not worth stressing about. In this episode, DeeDee and Ximena breakdown the most common anxiety-provoking elements of homeschooling and explain why you need to take a deep breath and trust the process. You are not failing your kids!

QUOTABLES

Ximena: "That's something I get from a lot of people that don't know much about homeschooling. They're like, 'Oh, I'm sure it's really hard for your kids to see you as a teacher when they see you as a mom.' Yeah, it is hard, and I don't expect them to see me as a teacher one hour and then see me as a mom another hour. I expect them to see me as this messy, conglomerate of teacher and parent together, because that's who we are.

Ximena: "We're so scared of failing, but how can we fail our children when we love them? Are we perfect? No. Are they perfect? No, but who's asking for perfection? If we are, then we're being fools and we're missing out on what's important."

DeeDee: "When we spend time with our kids, we are investing in who they're going to become in the future."

★★★ LISTENER COUPON CODE Request your coupon code to use on any purchase at bookshark.com. Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.
TIMESTAMPS
14:32 How you set the mood in your home.

18:26 Teaching and parenting are one and the same.

20:22 How self-care, routines, and community all help you face the difficulties of homeschooling.

22:52 How to overcome the fear of not choosing the right curriculum.

24:22 Straight talk about academic gaps.

27:11 Fear of failure. Ximena says, "Even if perfect robots raised your children in the perfect setting, in the perfect atmosphere, your kids would still have issues."

29:00 Broaden your scope to go beyond academics and include character.

29:33 How to embrace the mess of homeschooling.
SPECIAL SEGMENTS
01:19 Hack of the Week: Exercising early before the kids are up.
14:32 A Memorable Quote: "Creating a positive home atmosphere has more to do with who you are than what you do." —Leah at My Little Robins
If you'd like to share an aha moment, an inspirational quote, a homeschool hack, a book you're loving, or a suggested podcast topic/guest, leave a comment at bookshark.com/podcast. We'd love to feature your reflection on a future episode.

BACK TO (HOME)SCHOOL: MOTIVATION & PLANNING Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Back-to-school season is time for anticipation, inspiration, preparation, and expectations. Get back into the homeschool groove with your hosts Ximena and Dee as they recount their overly ambitious summer plans and what they're doing to set the stage for an excellent year of learning with their kids.

DeeDee: "Again, we all have different personalities. I'm surrounded by people who are pretty intense, and the intense people sometimes burn out really quick because they go so hard right in the beginning. And I remember in college, one of my roommates, she was like, everything's labeled, everything's ready for the first day of school, all our pencils are sharpened, her highlighters are ready to roll, but she'd be struggling by week three. And I'm like, you've got to learn to ease into it. So I've taken that into my homeschooling where we ease into it so that we can have longevity."

TIMESTAMPS
04:05 True confessions: Ximena did maybe 10% of what she aimed to accomplish over the summer. Her summer plans, dreamed of at the end of the school year were a bit too idealistic. But no regrets on taking a relaxed summer!

06:37 Use self-care before you are burned out!

08:58 Get inspired by books, YouTube videos, conferences, podcasts.

11:19 Brainstorm with your kids to find out what's their vision for the school year.

12:22 A homeschool mom retreat to kick off the school year.

13:49 Prep through shopping, organizing your school area, etc.

18:35 How to motivate your kids for back-to-school.

24:18 Back-to-school traditions like a picture, exploring the curriculum, getting new school supplies.

30:09 Ease back into your school year slowly.

SPECIAL SEGMENTS
01:49 Hack of the Week: Let kids alternate meal planning and preparation.
19:05 Reflection: ENJOY!

If you have an aha moment to share, an inspirational quote, a homeschool hack, or a book you're loving, leave a comment at bookshark.com/podcast. We'd love to feature your reflection on a future episode.

THE MONTESSORI APPROACH FOR HOMESCHOOLING Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

Learn how to bring the joy and freedom of a Montessori school to your home. Special guest Jessica May explains how to homeschool with a Montessori minimalist approach — even with reluctant learners or middle schoolers. Helicopter parents, brace yourselves. With the Montessori method, you need to embrace messes and give your child more autonomy.

QUOTABLES

Jessica: "The Montessori approach, in a nutshell, is self-directed, it's hands-on. In the early years it's abstract, and it becomes concrete later, when they're older... You don't sit people down with worksheets... that's kind of the gist of it ... following and observing the child."

Ximena: "...we have learned that less is more... there's a commonality in all of the approaches that we want our listeners to understand, is that there's always concrete learning with reading, writing, and math. Right? And then basically everything else, it's your choice and your style, and you can curate it the way you want. And I think that's so exciting to hear because it just simplifies everything. Focus on those three things in a concrete manner and then everything else, you can be creative with."

TIMESTAMPS

06:30 Jessica defines Montessori homeschooling.

07:36 How is Montessori different from unschooling?

09:32 Jessica explains her Montessori minimalist approach.

13:22 The mindset changes you'll need to make as a Montessori parent.

16:01 Montessori for middle school and teens.

23:57 A typical day of Montessori homeschooling.

29:32 Handling reluctant learners.

31:23 Getting started with Montessori.

33:06 Practical tips: Be prepared for messes.

34:15 Advice for your former self: Chill out.

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

02:06 Hack of the Week — curate an environment by prepping ahead of time
21:11 An Aha Moment — avoiding the phone/email during homeschool hours

THE CLASSICAL APPROACH TO HOMESCHOOLING Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

The roots of classical education go back to Plato and Aristotle who wrote about pursuing wisdom and loving virtue, forming the whole person rather than just preparing children to work in a job. In the Middle Ages, classical learning was outlined into seven liberal arts: the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric—those are language arts) and the quadrivium (arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy).

Find special guest Mystie at Simply Convivial and Schole Sisters Podcast.

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QUOTABLES

Mystie: "there is no checklist that says, 'Well, as long as you are doing these things in your homeschool day, then you're classically educating.' It's less about the books or the curriculum that you're teaching from and it's really more about a mindset, an approach, and a set of goals... [It] takes continual re-evaluation."

Ximena: "Yes. It's funny that you say that about being willing to be relaxed because when I read Susan Wise Bauer's book, I felt really small. I was like, 'Okay, I'm never going to be able to do this to the T.' It just felt super overwhelming, super strict. And then she was one of the keynote speakers at this conference that DeeDee and I spoke at last year, and she was the most relaxed, encouraging person. I was like, 'Did you write this book?' Because it was like awesome to hear that from her mouth, how she uses her intuition and just, again, focusing on the love of learning versus the everyday grind. And so, that was really freeing to hear that from her."

Mystie: "...classical education is a books-centric approach. The books are important, but there are different ways to get those books in rather than just, well, the kids have to read everything on their own."

Mystie: "That's really a homeschool mom's job—noticing what's going on with your child and experimenting with different ways to help them and finding out what works. It's challenging, but it's also rewarding to figure out how to help your child learn."

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TIMESTAMPS

07:59 A brief intro to classical education.

13:25 What is Susan Wise Bauer's role in classical education.

14:12 The challenges of using the classical approach.

30:39 Getting into the nitty gritty of the homeschool day with Mystie.

36:57 How to get started with the classical approach to homeschooling. Mystie suggests The Liberal Arts Tradition by Kevin Clark and Robby Jane, published by Classical Academic Press.

38:19 How to use classical education if your child hates reading.

43:11 How giving kids checklists can soothe a great deal of frustration.

46:46 Mystie's advice for her former self: the need to follow through on whatever you assign to your children.

WORKING PARENTS CAN STILL HOMESCHOOL Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

It can be done! With schedule flexing and creative thinking, it's possible to homeschool as a working parent. Shift your mindset out of the traditional schooling mold and learn how to create a lifestyle of learning that makes room for education, work, as well as play and rest.
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QUOTABLES
Paulette: "...humans are such creatures of habit. So we think Saturday is for chores or Sunday [is] when we do the cleaning or ... our errands. And we live in a 24/7 world now ... we can go grocery shopping at midnight if we need to."

Paulette: "... it did take a good year, a year and a half to get into that groove. The first year, I will say it took a lot of trial and error just to figure things out. And also, Janna, not to get stressed out when you know what there's not that third worksheet done, you know what? Yes, that can wait until Friday or can wait until the weekend, but just ensuring that you're there for your children and you're giving them what they need. And then feeling comfortable with your work schedule and knowing that you can do a job well done there as well."

Janna: "And so when I'm advising parents, when they're calling into BookShark, I love to say that, 'You need to understand you are now on a foreign Island. We're going to be speaking a different language. Maybe just different vernacular, but this is totally different and I need you to be willing to hear and understand that it's not just taking a school at home, a traditional school and bringing it home.'"

Paulette Vildberg is a homeschool mom with 8 years of homeschooling experience. She is also self-employed, running a marketing company, and has over 20 years of marketing and business management experience. Her company produces a number of homeschool workshops, meetings, and conferences and feels that this a great way to connect with other homeschool families and the community. You can follow Paulette's homeschool brand on Facebook at Inspire Your Homeschool.

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TIMESTAMPS

03:36 How the flexibility of homeschooling makes working doable.

06:40 Breaking free of the traditional school mindset in your schedule.

08:17 Reading during at-home exercise time. Using audio books.

09:44 How a flexible homeschool day is more relaxing and learning-focused rather than just getting things done. How a 3-day week can be enough.

12:43 The pros & cons of working at-home part-time vs. working outside the home as a homeschool parent.

15:30 It can take quite a long time to find your groove as a working homeschool mom.

17:26 Being willing to skip work if a child has already mastered the concept.

18:53 Changing expectations. Erasing perfectionism.

20:34 When you work at home in front of your kids, you teach them how to handle stress and how to engage with clients or peers (on the phone).

25:17 Taking breaks from your kids and providing socialization for them.

30:57 Plan to be flexible! Paulette tells a funny story about how her daughter sabotaged a work document.

33:05 Having routines can make the day flow more smoothly.

38:29 Favorite planning tools.

UNSCHOOLING Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Contrary to myth, unschooling is not a form of lax parenting where you let your kids run feral. Instead it's a way of raising your children that respects their autonomy to choose when, how, and what they learn. But you are always there as a facilitator and supportive guide. Homeschooling as an unschooler is a collaborative relationship between parent and child.

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QUOTABLES

Julie: "We still have to be parents, and we're still responsible for teaching them character, and morals, and good life habits, and plus we're supposed to be the ones with wisdom. We need to still exercise parental authority and parental responsibility, even as we give them educational freedom."

Julie: "Where are they going to get ideas from and how are they going to figure out what they're interested in if we don't expose them to things? We have to be really hands-on and interactive. So, to [unschool] well means that you have to be sparkly. It's a borrowed term, but you have to be a little bit sparkly to help them to be excited about learning new things and bringing things in.

DeeDee: "You have really convinced me that unschooling is not just throwing caution to the wind. I can see that we have had some unschooling moments in our homeschool, and those are definitely been the funner moments."

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TIMESTAMPS

05:43 Julie tells how she started as a homeschooler.

13:50 Julie defines unschooling.

14:51 The difference between delight-directed learning and unschooling.

15:30 Julie's long-term goal informs her day-to-day homeschool decisions.

18:05 How to handle math as a unschooler.

28:08 A typical day for an unschooler, including what Julie's high schooler is doing.

31:33 Making sure the day has some structure so kids aren't reading too many fantasy novels or playing too many video games.

33:55 How to redirect kids when you feel they are spending too much time on a certain thing.

34:36 Rules for unschooling. Know the difference between entertainment and education.

37:04 An unschooling parent will probably have to invest in research to inspire her kids.

38:03 How to be sparkly.

41:04 Advice for the younger you: Trust yourself.

Connect with Julie at Julie Naturally.

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

01:00 Hack of the Week
Block out catch up time in your schedule to accommodate for the unexpected.
26:50 A Memorable Quote
"Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."

CHARLOTTE MASON HOMESCHOOLING Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

Dachelle calls herself a relaxed Charlotte Mason homeschooler. Learn how she incorporates technology into her literature-based homeschool and what is more important to her than finishing a curriculum. At one point, Dachelle's kids were reluctant readers. Find out how she overcame that hesitancy to raise lifelong learners. Hear how her homeschool has morphed as her children reach their teens.

Connect with Dachelle at Hide the Chocolate or Literary Adventures for Kids.

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QUOTABLES

Dachelle: "Obviously, Charlotte Mason wasn't into technology because there wasn't a lot of technology for her. But I kind of have this idea that if she had been around right now, she would say, 'Embrace technology because your kids are going to have to learn it. They're going to have to know how to deal with technology.' So I think she would've been pro-technology."

Dachelle: "Part of it is helping encourage them to be independent educators. It's their education, not mine. So if they want to do something with this when they get older, go into a certain career, then I want to facilitate that, but I'm not the one educating them. They have to educate themselves. So I want them to continue to do that as they grow. When she says she wants to take a psychology class, I'm giving her the tools for that. As they've grown up, I'm no longer sitting there as the teacher that's saying this, this, and this. I'm now saying, 'Okay, here's some books, here's some videos, here's some things that I think would help you,' so that she can educate herself."

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TIMESTAMPS

04:23 Dachelle shares how she got started as a homeschooler.

07:16 An introduction to the Charlotte Mason approach.

09:28 What Charlotte Mason would have thought about technology.

10:46 What kind of curriculum a CM homeschooler uses.

12:20 Homeschooling so that your kids are lifelong learners.

13:07 The value of taking field trips and traveling.

14:32 Using a literature-based curriculum for reluctant readers.

15:37 Immersing yourself in the CM mentality without being a purist.

17:40 How the Accelerated Reader program can ruin kids' love of reading.

19:18 How Dachelle overcame her kids' resistance to reading.

26:13 What relaxed Charlotte Mason homeschooling looks like day to day.

27:25 How homeschooling changes when kids turn in to teenagers.

34:07 Homeschool mom guilt is real.

34:56 Dachelle's nature book club.

37:41 Dachelle's online book clubs.

39:13 Advice for your younger self? Chill out.

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

02:02 Hack of the Week — Teach kids to do their own laundry and keep them accountable.
23:16 Homeschool Reflection — Teaching kids how to think critically is more important than finishing your curriculum.

AN OVERVIEW OF 7 COMMON HOMESCHOOL STYLES Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

It's useful to understand a little bit about the different homeschool styles out there, not so you can adhere to a label but so you can mix and match the features that suit you best. There's a reason that most homeschoolers take the eclectic moniker! Each method has positive traits, so feel free to borrow your favorite parts from each style to truly HOMESCHOOL YOUR WAY.

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TIMESTAMPS

03:29 School at home (traditional method)

05:44 Unschooling

09:32 Montessori method

18:55 Classical method

23:48 Charlotte Mason approach

26:34 Unit Studies

29:59 Eclectic

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

01:08 Hack of the Week

Taking breaks with a year-round school schedule

16:08 A Memorable Quote

"No matter how hard you try, you really can't improve your weaknesses. You are wasting time and energy trying to do so. The best thing you can do is discover your strengths and then find a role that allows you to use them." —Donald Clifton in Now, Discover Your Strengths

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL BEHIND Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

Does a homeschool parent ever really feel on track? It's easy to feel behind when you're homeschooling with endless options at your disposal. Veteran homeschool mom and product specialist Lynn Woodley chats with host Janna about this nagging feeling that you just aren't doing enough and that you are falling behind. The great news is that if you are feeling behind, it's probably a sign that you are doing great job since slackers never worry about being behind!

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QUOTABLES

Lynn: "You can't be behind when you are truly doing the work. You are exactly where you are and where you need to be, and you are free to take a break when you need to take a break."

Janna: "when you're homeschooling, you're looking at an individual ... speaking to the whole child."

TIMESTAMPS

03:05 Lynn reports that one school she partners with requires families to only get through 32 weeks of the curriculum.

04:01 Options for the Type A mom who doesn't like to leave things undone.

05:45 Why you're really never behind as a homeschooler.

07:30 If you're really worried about your kids' being behind, give them a standardized test! It will give you the confidence you need.

10:51 Are you really schooling? Are you unschooling? Are you slacking? What are you doing?

11:41 Any parent listening in is likely to be a very driven homeschooler. Being worried about not getting enough done is typically a sign that you are doing plenty!

13:03 How to use your summer break to catch up on things you didn't accomplish.

18:02 How to catch up on your Timeline Book if you've put it off. It makes for great review!

21:39 The mentality of lifelong learning.

22:30 Keeping your Instructor's Guide in its place. It's not a dictator.

28:12 When you worry your child is behind in skills or mastery.

30:39 Why you should throw out the grade-level mentality.

34:05 Remember that character traits such as empathy are a part of development too.

36:48 Janna shares how she handled her daughter's being behind in math.

39:29 Don't think of skills as assigned to certain grades. They are simply skills that can be learned at any age!

49:32 Remember the importance of play — even when you feel behind.

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

01:17 A Lesson Learned The school year's start and end can be a fluid thing rather than a hard deadline.

27:29 Hack of the Week: Add chores to the daily school checklist.

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TRUE CONFESSIONS OF HOMESCHOOL PARENTS Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

When homeschool moms anonymously shared their secret confessions, the common challenges of homeschooling became apparent. For example, 64% of respondents reported wanting to quit homeschooling at some point. (We just want to know, who are you other 36% who have never wanted to quit? 😂) The podcast trio of Janna, DeeDee, and Ximena work through the list of confessions, adding their own stories to the mix. This is an encouraging episode that will leave you feeling uplifted!

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QUOTABLES

DeeDee "you are the best teacher for your child. You don't need a credential. You don't need a teaching background. You have been the best teacher for your child since the beginning, and they are looking to you to learn. And so they've been learning from you from day one, and no one knows your child better than you do. That's just the truth. And so you get to be with them at each stage as they're developing and you get to see the changes, you get to see their growth, you get to see where they're lacking and what you need to work on. A teacher that knows them for one year sees very little of that. And they're not really focused on the whole child. Usually, they're focused just on academics and the things that they need to report to their boss. So I really want to stress that, that you do not need to be a teacher. You are the best thing for your child."

Thanks to show sponsor BookShark. Request a homeschool curriculum catalog or download samples at bookshark.com.

TIMESTAMPS

13:03 I worry my kids are missing out.

14:41 Reading aloud to my kids is hard.

16:52 I struggle with keeping a routine.

18:56 I have no idea how I'm doing. Am I failing or winning? How would I know?

23:02 Using humor or potty language to get kids invested in their lessons.

26:42 Lots of moms expressed gratitude at how Covid-19 forced them to homeschool since it's actually been a great experience overall.

32:19 I buy gobs of curriculum but don't use it all.

34:38 Having a strong motivation to homeschool helps you stay the course when you want to give up.

35:57 It's okay to cut out everything except the 3Rs during times of stress.

37:34 In the survey, a lot of moms confessed to feeling like a failure. DeeDee, Ximena, and Janna address these common self-doubts.

39:49 Dealing with electronics, screens, and gaming.

44:46 History is actually fun when it's learned through real books!

46:58 Being with your kids all the time can get weary. If you struggle with these 24-7 demands of homeschooling, you are not alone. It's okay to want and take time for yourself! Also take breaks from lessons when you need them!

SPECIAL SEGMENTS

30:47 Hack of the Week

storing supplies on a wheeled cart so you can easily take lessons outside when the weather is nice

00:36 A Memorable Quote

"What if, instead of a pass or fail grade, there was a grade of not yet?" from a TED Talk by Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

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