Teaching Tips

Self-Directed Learning with Blake Boles

Self-Directed Learning with Blake Boles

Self-directed learning is an approach to education that allows students to choose what and how they learn. Similar to unschooling or interest-led learning, it is a powerful method for real learning that is especially helpful for kids who are non-traditional learners...

Fostering Internal Motivation to Learn

Fostering Internal Motivation to Learn

Over my nearly three decades of parenting and educating kids with dyslexia and ADHD I have learned that if we can foster a child's sense of internal motivation, home education is way easier and more enjoyable for everyone. But how do we foster internal motivation?...

Narration: An Introduction to Composition

Narration: An Introduction to Composition

Charlotte Mason, an English educator from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, left an enduring legacy in the field of education with her innovative and holistic approach. One of the key components of her philosophy is narration, a powerful technique for teaching...

A Day in the Life of a Non-Traditional Homeschool

A Day in the Life of a Non-Traditional Homeschool

I’ve been sharing here and there how we are homeschooling our non-traditional 9th grader this year. I've had quite a few questions about what our day looks like so today I'm sharing a typical day in the life of our non-traditional homeschool. Of my 8 kids, 6 have...

How to Choose the Best Dyslexia Options

How to Choose the Best Dyslexia Options

There are so many good resources for teaching kids with dyslexia it can be hard to know what the best dyslexia options are. We're well into the school year now. The honeymoon period with its excitement over new curricula, courses, and co-ops has ended and we are faced...

When to Take a Break From Reading Instruction

When to Take a Break From Reading Instruction

Does your child shut down when it comes to reading? Do they cry or berate themselves or refuse to do their reading lessons? It may be time to take a break from reading instruction. The scenario is not uncommon. For a variety of reasons, children can come to resist...

Four Ways to Troubleshoot Learning Struggles

Four Ways to Troubleshoot Learning Struggles

Using weekly review planning sheets helps me to troubleshoot my kids' learning struggles with confidence. Many of us have spent a lot of time over the summer planning and preparing for the current school year. Maybe you joined one of my coaching groups or you went to...