Christian Homeschool Blog

Homeschooling can be challenging! Our Christian homeschool blog delivers tips and tricks for homeschooling your children.

How to Make a Study Guide
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

How to Make a Study Guide

Study guides can be an extremely helpful tool to organize and structure your learning. Learn how to make a study guide with this step by step guide.

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College-Bound with TLP
CW CW

College-Bound with TLP

I am often asked what titles a high school student should choose, but that answer depends on whether the student is seeking admission into a four-year university, a two-year junior college, a trade school or other option. This post is for college-bound young adults.

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Self-Control--Who Me?
CW CW

Self-Control--Who Me?

Homeschooling moms are the queens of self-control. No one tells us when to rise in the morning. We make our own lessons plans, then decide whether or not we will use them. Field trips on Friday? Skip math on Monday? The choices are ours.

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Attitude of Gratitude
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Attitude of Gratitude

It isn't difficult to find things to be thankful for. Even in difficult times, we can usually say the expected: we're thankful for God, for Jesus, for the Holy Spirit, the Bible, etc. If we dig just a little deeper, we add to the list: we're thankful for our children, for our husbands, for our parents.

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Homeschool Lesson Plans
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Homeschool Lesson Plans

Learn 3 homeschool lesson planning options that work in this guide to lesson plan organization for homeschool students by Total Language Plus.

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If We Only Knew What We Don't Know
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

If We Only Knew What We Don't Know

I was supposed to write about organization, but recently something happened, and I can't pass up the opportunity to share about it.

My husband Terry and I were excited to go to the beach to dig razor clams. Obstacles prevented us from heading out as soon as we wanted, but we finally hitched up the camper and started out. We'd be able to dig clams on that evening's low tide if we hurried.

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Organization (for the organizationally challenged): Part One, An Overview
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Organization (for the organizationally challenged): Part One, An Overview

Before jumping into the topic of organization, I need to state a disclaimer: I'm not an organized person, nor do I believe being organized makes one holy. I view organization as a necessary evil.

So why blog about it? Because neither am I a fan of chaos. For anything to get done in a timely manner, a plan is needed. There is a level of organization necessary if we are to succeed.

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Charlotte Mason and TLP Part Two: "The Gentle Art of Learning."
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Charlotte Mason and TLP Part Two: "The Gentle Art of Learning."

I've stolen the phrase, "The Gentle Art of Learning," from Karen Andreola's book "A Charlotte Mason Companion," because it is the perfect description of how many believe we should educate our children. There is no valid reason for the strict schedules and rigid pre-set goals forced upon many students by arbitrary scope and sequences and standardized tests. Children are predisposed to learn, but this does not mean they thrill to be tested, or are interested in the same things a distant national organization deems appropriate.

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Charlotte Mason and TLP Part One: Candles to be Lit
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Charlotte Mason and TLP Part One: Candles to be Lit

I've stolen the phrase, "The Gentle Art of Learning," from Karen Andreola's book "A Charlotte Mason Companion," because it is the perfect description of how many believe we should educate our children. There is no valid reason for the strict schedules and rigid pre-set goals forced upon many students by arbitrary scope and sequences and standardized tests. Children are predisposed”

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Reluctance to Reading: Identify the Issue
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Reluctance to Reading: Identify the Issue

If your child struggles to learn how to read, of course he is reluctant. You may need to back off. Definitely back off if he is under seven years old. Remember how we discussed the development of eye sight and other hindrances to learning to read? Continue reading aloud to him, but stop forcing him to perform. He isn't ready. If he is still striving unsuccessfully as a nine year old, it may be time to seek more help.

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Reluctant Readers: Finding the Right Book, Part Two
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Reluctant Readers: Finding the Right Book, Part Two

It would be easier if we could say, "My children dislikes reading, so he doesn't have to read," in much the same way we can say, "My child doesn't enjoy baseball, so he doesn't have to play." Unfortunately that is not the case. Reading is a life skill. (Some might say baseball is, too, but that's another topic.) Not a day goes by that we don't read something, if only the label on a can of green beans.

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Reluctant Readers: Finding the Right Book, Part One
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Reluctant Readers: Finding the Right Book, Part One

This post covers working with the reluctant reader who can read, but doesn't enjoy it. Maybe even stronger than not enjoying, he really firmly dislikes reading.

Now what? Do you make him read anyway? It isn't fun for him, so is it a battle you want to fight?

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Reluctant Readers: Not Unintelligent, Just Not Ready
Barbara Blakey Barbara Blakey

Reluctant Readers: Not Unintelligent, Just Not Ready

What is one of the first things homeschooling moms want to teach their children? How to read! Yes! So, Mom is ready, but is Joe? A lot has to happen for a child to be ready to read, and intelligence itself is a minor factor. It's more about development. Development and intelligence are not the same thing.

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