Category Archives: Handcrafted Education
We are secular, eclectic academic homeschoolers working to create a handcrafted education for our children. We believe the journey through learning should focus on the inherent beauty of learning and the development of life long learners. Read these articles for help handcrafting your child’s education!
In Celebration of Our Children
Eclectic Academic Homeschooling
The Renaissance of a Handcrafted Education
From the time I was pregnant with my son Sean until he was a toddler, if you had asked me what I wanted him to be when he grew up, I would have told you I wanted him to be a Renaissance man. To me, the term Renaissance man means a person (male or female) who has a deep and nuanced knowledge over a broad range of fields. It refers to a person who is literate and can express oneself through writing, speaking, or both; a person who is a creative thinker; someone who is not necessarily an athlete but …
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Blair Lee: How to Take Your Science from Ho-Hum to WOW!
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The Benefits of Secular Eclectic Academic Homeschooling
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30 Travel Tips from a Worldschooler
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” Susan Sontag Travel is a big part of our homeschooling journey. When we can, we worldschool. Worldschoolers incorporate travel throughout their children;s journey through learning. My husband and I want our son to be a global citizen. We want him to understand that many different cultures have looked at situations and come up with equally viable answers, one not necessarily better than the other. We want him to experience and appreciate different cultures and this big beautiful planet he lives on. We started traveling with Sean when he was two years …
Making through History
Earth Day Online Scavenger Hunt
SEA Homeschoolers Community Support Resources, Freebies, & Discounts to Help Students, Parents, and Educators
Could Your Child Have Dyslexia? Dysgraphia? Dyscalculia?
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 Applying to College
Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten
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 …
Our Kids Need Us To Teach
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 …
Advice for Joining Park Days
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 …
Using Stories to Inspire Service Projects
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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