The Sociable Homeschooler - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

The Sociable Homeschooler — Kids & Family
The Sociable Homeschooler

Have you ever wondered how people just like you manage to homeschool their children and apparently love every moment of it? Are you ready to give up the formative years of your children’s lives to a stranger? Do you think homeschoolers are weird? Does the word, homeschool, bring to mind Birkenstocks, jumpers, and hairy legs? Honestly half my family fit the hairy leg stereotype…so who cares? I’m here to help you let go of any pre-conceived notions you may have about home educators. Forget all the excuses ever made under the sun for not homeschooling and listen to my show which is a generous mix of my life as the oxymoron, Sociable Homeschooler, international guests from all walks of life and light hearted views and comments about education and basements. I will also bend your ear with excerpts from my soon to be published book, also entitled, The Sociable Homeschooler, which chronicles many good causes for why my blue eyed cowboy and I chose to go off the deep end hand in hand with God and have everyone talking about us behind our backs and in the end winning them over. Come and be won over on Toginet Radio Live on Fridays, if only to get a weekly taste of Britain.

Latest Episodes:

Whitewater Chopped Sticks: Calvin Jones Jun 27, 2014

Show notes

My guest this week is renowned concert pianist, Calvin Jones. Calvin is also a homeschooling Dad, composer, orchestrator and producer. This is the final show in my short series about careers and I know you’ll be as delighted as I am with this remarkable artist. In the words of one critic, "If brilliant piano performance could be likened to a painting, Calvin Jones routinely executes a 'musical Mona Lisa.'" Aggressively contemplative, Calvin is quite a performer. Highly accessible, Calvin's music incorporates classical and popular themes and his performances seem to strip away the action of the piano, caressing the strings. Known for his hit "Whitewater Chopped Sticks" which propelled Teresa Scanlan to win the 2011 Miss America crown and his subsequent soundtrack for "2016: Obama's America", the 2nd highest grossing documentary in history, Calvin has enjoyed a varied musical career. His five releases "Through High Places" (1987), "Coming Home" (1990), "Uncharted Waters" (1993), "Acoustic Passion" (2005) and "Dueling Pianos" (2012) released on Sony Records have won him international acclaim. We spoke from Ukraine where Calvin is currently touring Eurasia performing with Philharmonics to delighted audiences everywhere while continuing to produce soundtracks and prepare his new orchestral release. Join us this Friday with a cup of tea and I will include a sampling of his music. Let me engage you with the latest and greatest from the household of the McNenys where we are thoroughly enjoying pastoral life, windy days every day, and still homeschooling! Are you ready?

Lifelong Unschooler: Peter Kowalke Jun 20, 2014

Show notes

Joining me this week is self described, lifelong unschooler Peter Kowalke. Peter has been on my show several times and we have talked about his passion for unschooling and how much it has influenced his life. His highly praised documentary “Grown Without Schooling” followed ten unschooled graduates into the world and recorded how they fared in their individual life choices. Peter lives in New York City and has consulted as a homeschool expert for media outlets such as the BBC, the New York Times and The Times of India. The last time we spoke, two years ago, he had just returned from a six month spiritual sojourn in Asia. This Friday afternoon we are going to be catching up and talking about how Unschooling led him along the pathway of philosophical exploration which eventually brought him to Vedanta. Get yourself a cup of something delicious to drink and come and be mentally provoked into living your life a different way! 12 noon Central!

Your Philanthropy: Dawn Franks Jun 13, 2014

Show notes

I am welcoming Dawn Franks, to my show this week to talk about her unusual and very entrepreneurial career. I was introduced to Dawn through my husband who met with her while we were in East Texas, about one of his projects. Dawn is President of Your Philanthropy, a coaching and consulting firm and works with the philanthropic donor and nonprofit community. During our conversation you will learn exactly what that means! She has 33 years of experience in nonprofit and philanthropy work in the Tyler community. She is also Executive Director of the Ben and Maytee Fisch Foundation and serves on boards for the East Texas Communities Foundation, Leadership Tyler, Bullard Economic Development Council and the Tyler Chamber of Commerce. She is past president of South Tyler Rotary Club, a member of Tyler Executive Women’s Network and a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler. Dawn is married to Eddy Franks. Oin us on Friday with your tea and learn some amazing things about grants and non-profits that may surprise you!

Casting Calls: Andrei Constantinescu Jun 06, 2014

Show notes

This week my show is the second in a short series of careers advice where I bring on guests from interesting walks of life that may be of help to young people searching for possible career opportunities. Andrei Constantinescu has always loved film and television. His mom says he loved television even when he was very little and that around two or three years of age he was quoting lines from shows and recognizing actors. One of Andrei’s earliest memories is entertaining his extended family with stories and jokes and wondering what else he could do or say to make them laugh. For as long as he can remember he has known he wanted to be an actor or work in the film industry. Andrei graduated from Louisiana Tech University with an MA in Theater and started work as an extra on several films, loving every minute of it! He worked for Glorioso Casting, assisting and coordinating the extras for several projects; he also cast the Principal Roles for some non-union short films and worked as an actor, including a role in “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt.” In the fall of 2009 he moved to New Orleans to cast with Coulon Casting; his experiences there gave him another view of extras casting and paved the way for his future move to Dallas, Texas where he worked for Cast-O-Matic on the FOX TV show, “Lone Star” in 2010. In the spring of 2011, Andrei was hired to cast the extras for the “Dallas” pilot on TNT and Legacy Casting was officially born. Now he and the Legacy Casting team work on projects in Texas and Louisiana. His goal is to use Legacy Casting to find and showcase new rising talent and to give other actors a start in the industry he loves. Come and listen to him speak on my show about his interesting career and how to make show business work for you. Friday at 12 noon Central.

EntreFamily: Stephanie Langford May 30, 2014

Show notes

This week my guest Stephanie Langford is returning to tell us all about how her 54 weeks of world travel has impacted her family’s lifestyle, marriage and view of the world. She describes herself as the blessed wife to Ryan. She is also Mum and homeschooler to her four favorite little people, and the grateful recipient of undeserved mercy and love from her Heavenly Father. Stephanie and her husband have spent the last year travelling and hack-schooling on a monumental journey around the world to almost 30 countries in 12 months. While on the road Stephanie kept up her blog Keeper of the Home, inspiring and educating women on the topics of nutrition, natural homemaking, "greener" lifestyle choices, and frugal, simple living... all from a distinctively Christian worldview. Also her medicine kit while she was on the road can be found here! http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2013/10/my-travel-medicine-kit.html She is the author of three books, Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time, Real Food on a Real Budget: How to Eat Healthy for Less, and Plan It, Don’t Panic: A Complete Meal Planning Resource and is working on a proposal for her family travel memoir. Stephanie is going to be sharing a few stories with us about life abroad, how they were limited in their possessions by their bags, how their marriage changed for the better, and how she coped with coming to the end of herself. Tune in on Friday with a cup of coffee or your favourite beverage and be inspired, if not to totally change your life at least to simplify some areas of it and not to be afraid to step outside your box if only for an hour!

Ten Minute Writer: Katharine Grubb May 23, 2014

Show notes

This week I am welcoming to my show Katharine Grubb. Katharine was born in northeastern Oklahoma. She was raised in the Tulsa suburbs, attended the University of Oklahoma, taught school, wrote stories and then shocked everyone by moving to Boston, Massachusetts to be with a man she had been e-mailing for nine months. She married that man, and with him had five boisterous children ages 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16. Nowadays, she still lives in Massachusetts, homeschools her children, bakes bread, does ridiculous amounts of laundry and sets her timer to write stories in ten minute increments. She loves homeschooling and just completed her 12th year. Katharine blogs at www.10minutewriter.com and is on Twitter @10MinuteWriter where she talks about writing fiction and nonfiction. Join us on Friday with your tea and be prepared to laugh!!

Engineer, CPA & Author: Carol Topp May 16, 2014

Show notes

This week I’m delighted to welcome back to my show, where I dispel many homeschooling stereotypes, Carol Topp who has joined me a couple of times to talk about co-oping and finances. We are going to be talking about the 3 major careers in her life, besides Mum and homeschooling, so tune in to learn more! Carol and her husband live in West Chester, Ohio and have two grown daughters, both homeschooled through high school who are now looking forward to their first careers. Carol worked from home throughout her homeschooling career and authored, Homeschool Co-Ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out. She is also the author of the Micro Business for Teens series where she gives tips and advice to aspiring young entrepreneurs, as well as nine other books, a podcaster on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network, a host on the public television program, Starting a Micro Business, and winner of a Best Accounting blog award in 2012. Carol's current project is creating a Career Exploration e-book for homeschool teenagers. She hopes to have it completed in the fall of 2014. You can find her at MicroBusinessForTeens.com. and on my radio show this Friday. Join us for a cup of tea and hear all about this homeschooling Mum’s terrific careers.

The Compelling Case for Homeschooling: Mike Donnelly May 09, 2014

Show notes

Mike Donnelly, from the Home School Legal Defense Association, returns to my show this week wearing his legal and dad hats. When he’s not talking to me Mike serves as Staff Attorney and Director of International Relations for member affairs and is Adjunct Professor of Government at Patrick Henry College, in Virginia. Mike and his wife teach their seven children at home and he is a frequent speaker and writer on many home school related topics some of which he has shared with us over the years on my show. Mike and his hard working colleagues at HSLDA defend both the American and International right to choose how we educate our children and their convictions ensure that homeschooling remains a parental choice for all of us. Today we are going to be hearing about some good news about the Romeike family and the recent court decision that will allow them to remain in America. Mike and I will also talk about some of the doubts parents may have when considering homeschooling. Peer preessure is not just for our children! Pull up a chair and snag a cup of tea and listen in this Friday.

Education, Faith & Ex-Amish: Brenda Nixon May 02, 2014

Show notes

Brenda Nixon is joining me again this week on my show where I dispel the stereotype of homeschoolers! Brenda has been a fellow host here on Toginet radio with The Parents’ Plate. where she blended practical parenting tips with child development. She is an unusual and popular keynote speaker at events and workshops in more than 10 states. Today her family has taken on a different dynamic with the inclusion of ex-Amish teenagers whom she has adopted. She is now known as the "Mom to the Ex-Amish" with a son-in-law, 2 adopted sons, and relationships with those who've left the most insular Swartzentruber Amish order. Today I am bringing you part two of our conversation about the Amish culture not found on TV or in fiction books. Brenda's blog, Beyond Buggies and Bonnets, has 70,000 readers world wide! She's writing a book about the struggles of Amish to assimilate to the "forbidden" English world, and about the life they left. Today we are going to be talking about education, jobs and faith for those young people who have left their closed communities to join the English world of America. Grab yourself a cuppa and join us on Friday at 12 noon Central.

Hurdling Our Adult Children's Choices: Barbara Frank Apr 25, 2014

Show notes

This week on my show, where I seek to dispel the pre-conceived ideas about homeschooling, I’m thrilled to welcome back Barbara Frank. We spoke at the end of January about preparing our teenage children to be sprung on the world as independent and contributing members of society. Barbara is a homeschooling mother of two boys and two girls. Her husband, Tim, worked from home and they were all together as a family for a long time and lived to tell the tale! Barbara is the author of, Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers, a curriculum she wrote for her teenagers to help them live on their own with a goal of financial freedom. She and her husband started a company called Cardamom Publishers in 2003 to publish this first book and several others followed including, Thriving in the 21st Century, Women of the Old Testament: 14 In-Depth Bible Studies for Teens, and The Imperfect Homeschooler’s Guide to Homeschooling. We homeschooling Mums know how to manage our time! Barbara often speaks to home education groups about homeschooling, and is also a freelance writer/editor and former newspaper reporter whose work has appeared in Focus on the Family Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. She has a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Today our conversation will centre round the empty nest syndrome and dealing with the disappointment of adult children whose lifestyles go against the way they were raised. Once parents can Pass Go on that one then they can move on to what God has planned for them next. This should be an emotional topic that I know a lot of you are facing so bring your tea and take a comfortable seat this Friday at 12 noon Central on Toginet Radio.

Related Podcasts