Category Archives: Handcrafted Education

Could Your Child Have Dyslexia? Dysgraphia? Dyscalculia? Dyslexia and its related issues (Dysgraphia – trouble writing, Dyscalculia –trouble with basic math) are on the rise. In my group for homeschooled kids with special needs, I estimate AT LEAST 25% of the kids have Dyslexia. And the trouble is – we as homeschool parents and teachers are not always equipped to identify and help our kids in this area. This could really delay and prolong your child being at their “grade level” — or even graduating. Many parents are familiar with the most classic sign of Dyslexia – kids who reverse …

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Advice on Homeschooling to College By Blair Lee, MS This year is an exciting one for us. Our son, who was homeschooled from 1st grade until he graduated, is going to college. He applied to nine colleges and was accepted at six of them and was put on the waitlist of one of them. He received scholarship offers at three of the colleges. In the end, and after some soul searching on his part, he accepted the offer from the college that was closest to home, San Diego State University. We have a close-knit family, and he decided that he …

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Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten If you are homeschooling kindergarten this year and have asked homeschooling friends what to do, you may feel you have only two options: An academic year full of curriculum, or unschooling, where you just trust your child will play their way to all the skills they need. Are you frustrated? I am. As an occupational therapist, I know there is at least one more choice, developmental kindergarten. Developmental kindergarten focuses on helping children develop all the underlying skills they need to go on to be successful. Many versions of kindergarten have existed since it’s origins over 100 …

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Our Kids Need Us To Teach by Farrar William As my kids have gotten older, they’ve naturally become more independent. For high school, some days they stalk off with their computers, online classes, and textbooks, confident in their assignments as they head to their rooms to stick on their headphones and get work done. Wow, I think to myself. I am so awesome. My kids really have this homeschool thing down. And then I go to check their work. Oh, maybe we do not have this homeschool thing down. It’s not that bad, though I have to admit that one of my boys …

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Advice for Joining Park Days Park  days, kids running around playing with friends. You, sitting with other parents chatting about kids and homeschooling. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it! Get there early! It’s much easier to get to know a person or two at a time as they start to show up than it is to come in after everyone is already sitting and chatting with their longtime friends. That goes for your kids, too. Let people know you’re new and feel free to ask questions, but understand that this is prime social time for parents and kids alike. They most likely …

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I’ve been leading a class that I created called Making Through History for almost two years, and it has been one of the best teaching experiences I have ever had. The class explores history and the humanities through the art and invention that expressed the values and aspirations of people in a specific time and place. These days STEM/STEAM education is all the rage, and we are told that our children can’t be prepared for the future without it. While I agree that technology and science literacy are essential to navigating the new economy, I would also argue that it …

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Using Stories to Inspire Service Projects We all have hopes and dreams for our children: values we hope they develop, a vision for the world we want to one day see in their future, and our children’s place in helping to achieve that vision. When I imagine the traits I want my children to develop and embody, empathy, kindness, and compassion come to mind.  Incorporating service projects into your secular homeschool journey is a great way to promote these.  This is a hope that they will view the world through a broader spectrum of ideas, philosophy, and understanding than I …

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A Graduation Letter to Homeschooled Students As our homeschooling journey comes to an end, it feels bittersweet. I am proud of the person my son is growing into, yet reaching homeschool graduation means we close a chapter that has been so meaningful in our lives. I know it can be hard to see the end of the journey when you’re still on the path, so I would like to share with you my thoughts on what it means to receive an education handcrafted to focus on a learner’s strengths, challenges, and passions — something all homeschoolers gift their children. Dear …

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Blair’s 15 most popular essays covering a wide range of topics. Homeschooling, Education, Travel, Service Projects, & of course Science! toc eclectic collection   The Renaissance of a Handcrafted Education   Handcrafted Gift, A Graduation Gift   travel, service and worldschooling An Eclectic Collection of Essays 1   Confessions of a Classical Unschooler   Science   30 Travel Tips from a Worldschooler The Benefits of Secular Eclectic Academic Homeschooling   A Handcrafted Education – The High School Years   How Science Is Best Learned   Helping to Save the World Choosing a Service Project The Best Method to Use for …

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As the parent of a special needs kid, the last thing I ever expected to feel when we began  our homeschooling journey was relief. But that’s what we got. As the single mother of a child with nine different diagnoses, I don’t use the word, “relief”, lightly.

Spring and summer may get all the glory in your garden, but if you’re looking for more reasons to stay outdoors late into the fall, planting a fall garden might just be the thing. Grab the kids, your garden tools, and start planning your fall garden now!

Setting SMART Homeschool Goals How many of us have felt like a homeschool failure at one point or another? It’s almost always because we’re comparing ourselves or our kids to someone else, which is always a mistake. But how do we turn that around into feeling like a homeschool success? Simply by achieving our goals. Ok, I admit achieving goals isn’t really all that simple. Experts say over and over again that if you want to accomplish something, you need to set goals.  But simply setting goals isn’t enough. Writing our goals down on paper is a great start. But …

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From Summer into Fall: a Gentle Transition for Homeschoolers The transition from school year to summer and back again can be as varied as homeschool families themselves.  As a homeschool parent, I’ve noticed some interesting trends around these transitions times. In our homeschool, we don’t have an abrupt change from school year to summer break, which makes the transition easier and gives all of us more time to adjust to a slower tempo. We look forward to our summers because we can get outside more, play at the park, ride bikes, swim, and play in the sprinkler, all things that are …

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Kids in middle school are experiencing an explosion in brain activity and connectivity. They go from the black and white, concreteness of earlier childhood, to deeper thinking. They’re really yearning for big questions and ideas. They desire more challenge, but how do we get the level of challenge right?

Filled with vendor coupons, articles from speakers, and clickable links, this Free Magazine is like a virtual trip to the convention, through the vendor hall, and so much more. Issue 1 of the new SEA Homeschoolers Magazine. secular homeschool convention, secular homeschool, homeschool magazine You can check out vendor websites, speaker bios, get more information about convention talks, sessions, and events, and learn about places to visit in Atlanta. There are several new endeavors starting at SEA Homeschoolers this year. This biannual magazine is one of them. Each magazine will be chock full of articles and information about products and …

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