However Imperfectly

Latest Episodes:

Building a Strong Math Foundation in Early Childhood Aug 24, 2026

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Joy chats again with speech pathologist, Priscilla Roberts who shares practical strategies for teaching early math skills to young children. Emphasizing hands-on, movement-based learning, she explains how to build a strong foundational understanding of numbers, counting, and base 10 concepts to foster confident, capable mathematicians from the start.

resourcesfixitlearning.com - https://fixitlearning.comFind Joy Here:My Bloom & Brush course walks you through teaching drawing and nature study. Check it out here:https://www.howeverimperfectly.com/bl...✨ Find my nature study resources at https://www.howeverimperfectly.com/bloomandbrush✨Learn how to get outside and use a nature journal with https://www.naturestudyhacking.com

Let's Talk about Reading: Auditory Skills and Speech Foundations| Interview Aug 10, 2026

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Joy interviews Priscilla Roberts, a speech pathologist with over 40 years of experience, shares insights on how auditory processing and foundational speech skills impact children's reading development. She emphasizes the importance of assessing and strengthening prerequisite brain skills before starting formal reading instruction, offering practical tips for parents to support their children's literacy journey.Resources Mentioned:fixitlearning.com - https://fixitlearning.comMore about Joy Cherrick✨GET YOUR *FREE* NATURE STUDY LESSONS HERE:✨✨Get your Free Nature Study Start up guide here: https://www.howeverimperfectly.com/na...Find Joy on Substack: https://howeverimperfectly.substack.com/

Ep 20 Simple and Joyful Nature Study- a Chat with Nicole Williams Jun 21, 2025

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Joy and Nicole talk about the challenges and joys of doing nature study in a homeschool setting. They talk about getting started when you don't know the names of anything and how to help older children engage. Grab Nicole's free nature study starter guide here: https://sabbathmoodhomeschool.com/hipJoin the Screen Free Kids Get Outside Challenge: https://www.howeverimperfectly.com/ScreenFreeChallengeStart the 5-day Nature Journal challenge here: https://www.howeverimperfectly.com/opt-in

EP 19 Principle #20 All Knowledge Comes from God Jun 13, 2025

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Principal #20: “We allow no separation to grow up between the intellectual and ‘spiritual’ life of children, but teach them that the divine spirit has constant access to their spirits, and is their continual helper in all the interests, duties, and joys of life.”

Get the reflection questions and resources that go with this episode over on However Imperfectly on Substack here.

Ep 18 Principle #19| Principles of Conduct May 30, 2025

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Principle #19: Therefore, children should be taught, as they become mature enough to understand such teaching, that the chief responsibility which rests on them as persons is the acceptance or rejection of ideas. To help them in this choice we give them principles of conduct, and a wide range of the knowledge fitted to them. These principles should save children from some of the loose thinking and heedless action which cause most of us to live at a lower level than we need.

Head over to However Imperfectly on Substack for the reflection questions and show notes.

**If you want to be effective with your Nature Study work, join the Screen Free Kids Get Outside Challenge. Head over to HoweverImperfectly.com/ScreenFreeChallenge to download your free packet!**

EP 17 The Way of Reason| Leaning God's Wisdom not Our Own Understanding May 17, 2025

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Principle #18: “The way of reason: We teach children, too, not to 'lean (too confidently) to their own understanding'; because the function of reason is to give logical demonstration (a) of mathematical truth, (b) of an initial idea, accepted by the will. In the former case, reason is, practically, an infallible guide, but in the latter, it is not always a safe one; for, whether that idea be right or wrong, reason will confirm it by irrefragable proofs.” Vol 6, Mason

To see the reflection questions and notes from this episode, head over to However Imperfectly on Substack. --**If you want to be effective with your Nature Study work, join the Screen Free Kids Get Outside Challenge. Head over to HoweverImperfectly.com/ScreenFreeChallenge to download your free packet!

EP 16 Principles #16a and #17- Helping the child learn to control his will May 03, 2025

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“There are two guides to moral and intellectual self-management to offer to children, [the first] we may call 'the way of the will'...

The way of the will: Children should be taught,

(a) to distinguish between 'I want' and 'I will.'

(b) That the way to will effectively is to turn our thoughts from that which we desire but do not will.

(d) That after a little rest in this way, the will returns to its work with new vigour. ” (Vol 6, p. 128)

EP 15 Principle #15: The Habit of Attention Apr 18, 2025

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"A single reading is insisted on, because children have naturally great power of attention; but this force is dissipated by the re-reading of passages, and also, by questioning, summarizing, and the like."

**If you want to be effective with your Nature Study work, check out my Nature Study Hacking Guides at www.howeverimperfectly.com. Learn how to get outside and use those lovely nature journals which will help you and your children cultivate the habit of attention with ease.**

EP 14 Principle #14 The Art of Narration Apr 04, 2025

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Principles 14- Narration: The Art of Telling Back: “As knowledge is not assimilated until it is reproduced, children should 'tell back' after a single reading or hearing: or should write on some part of what they have read.” (Vol. 6, xxix)

Check out the sample narrations and reflections questions over at However Imperfectly on Substack.

**If you want to be effective with your Nature Study work, check out my Nature Study Hacking Guides at www.howeverimperfectly.com. Learn how to get outside and use those lovely nature journals.**

EP 13 Principle #13 The Curriculum i.e. The Living Library Mar 21, 2025

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Principle #13 “In devising a SYLLABUS for a normal child, of whatever social class, three points must be considered:

(a) He requires much knowledge, for the mind needs sufficient food as much as does the body.

(b) The knowledge should be various, for sameness in mental diet does not create appetite (i.e., curiosity).

(c) Knowledge should be communicated in well-chosen language, because his attention responds naturally to what is conveyed in literary form.” (Vol. 6)

Read and find links on However Imperfectly on Substack

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