Ages and Stages of Writing InstructionThink of Writing like CookingFrom Dr. Michelle Parrinello-Cason I’m a big fan of using metaphors to take the mystery out of writing instruction, and that’s what I’m going to be doing in this article. One of the things I hear most often from families trying to figure out how to teach writing in their homeschool is concern. Concern that they aren’t doing “enough.” Concern that they’re “late” or “behind.” Concern that some particular skill isn’t developed adequately. I hear these concerns—and, as a homeschooling mom, I feel them myself—but I’ve got an idea that I …
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Homeschooling Elementary School Homeschooling elementary school is a perfect educational setting for developing a personal philosophy based on the intellectual life you want for your children. I encourage you, as your child's primary educator, to take the time to reflect on what you hope for your child's "intellectual life.” The Wonder Years Over the years, I taught and tutored students in grades 1st through college. There are high points in teaching every grade, but it is the elementary students I miss the most. It is just so fulfilling and fun to work with this age group as they discover the …
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SEA HomeschoolersOnline Conference Series SpeakerLearn More About the Speakers!Register NowSee Full Conference Schedule Bertha Vazquez Bertha Vazquez is a retired science teacher who taught middle school for 34 years in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She is the education director at The Center for Inquiry, an international nonprofit organization that promotes reason and science. She runs several CFI projects, including the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES), Generation Skeptics, and ScienceSaves. Her multi-faceted approach to teaching climate science has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Earth magazine, and a book and film series by Lynne Cherry titled, Empowering Young …
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How to Talk to Your Child about Not Being on Grade Level with Peers Blair, How do I talk to my child about them not being on grade level with their peers? My child would be in 3rd grade if they went to b&m school. We work at their pace and level. At times we have been a bit more relaxed while working through neuropsych evals and more structured when we’ve been able to. They are very bright, but not working at a 3rd grade level in most subjects. They recently started saying they think they are not smart because …
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REAL Science Odyssey Biology Level 1, written by Blair Lee, M.S., is a year-long, secular homeschool life biology curriculum for grades 2-5. Students learn key science concepts through an incremental series of lessons and hands-on exploration.
Exploring Buoyancy with Paper Boats Archimedes didn’t invent boats, but his thinking about them is important for understanding why boats float! Archimedes was a classical Greek thinker and tinkerer who lived from about 287 B.C. to 212 B.C.E. He realized (while in the bathtub, according to history) that the weight of the water that is pushed out of the way is equal to the lifting force on that object. In this activity, you will apply Archimedes principles and design thinking to paper boats, as you investigate the factors that affect their buoyancy and stability. Learners will also explore how different …
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Advice for a Former School Teacher Blair, I’ve been teaching in the public school system in Florida for 18 years, as a second-grade teacher for 6 years and then as an elementary reading specialist for the last 12 years. Due to the changes to curriculum, gun policies, and the attack on LGBTQ+ families in FL, my wife and I no longer feel the public school system is the right place for us. My kids are headed into 1st and 4th grade in the fall. I am excited and scared. I know I can teach them, but I am feeling overwhelmed …
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Learn about the Power of Using a Growth MindsetJuly 2023 SEA Homeschoolers Bookclub Book 1 in the SEA Homeschoolers Book Club. We will be reading Mindset Starts July 2nd! Join SEA Homeschoolers Founder, Blair Lee, as we read Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph. D. as the first book in the new SEA Homeschoolers Book Club. Starting July 2nd, we will read two chapters per week and have weekly discussion posts in the SEA Homeschoolers main group. The book club will conclude with a live virtual discussion on July 30th. Mindset looks at differences between a fixed and a growth mindset. This …
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How to Handcraft a Unit StudyFrom Blair Lee, M.S. A handcrafted education is one that focuses on the unique strengths, challenges, and passions of learners and their families. It is common for homeschool parents to want to develop unit studies focused on these passions. Unit studies can be a fun and engaging academic strategy that incorporates many academic disciplines and skills. They are great for working on the mastery of skills such as writing and reasoning. They can also add excitement to your studies. Unit studies are especially meaningful when they are handcrafted by you for your learners. But (and …
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I think homeschooling would be great for our family but… Blair, I’m not a homeschooler…yet. As I started getting everything ready to enroll my oldest in kindergarten in the fall, I started thinking more and more that I want to homeschool my kids. I found your website while doing some research on what that would require, and I really think homeschooling would be great for our family, but I am also really worried about failing my kids. It is very important to us that all kids get a quality education. I am not a teacher. I know how to read, …
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We are about to head into the high school years and I am freaking out Blair, We are about to head into the high school years and I am freaking out. What do I really need to know before we plan high school? What do I need to keep track of for colleges? I don’t want to get to senior year and realize there are things we should have done in 9th grade to make college planning and applications easier. From Jane Homeschooling 6 years Kids in 7th and 8th grade Hello Jane, My first advice for you is to …
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2 kids who can't be taught together. How can I keep from getting overwhelmed? Blair, My kids have a large age gap, different interests, and different learning styles. There isn't really anything that I can teach them together. My 13yo can do some things on his own, but really needs my support and attention as we move into the more rigorous academics he is requesting. I am struggling to find balance and meet both their needs. Do you have any advice to keep us all from getting overwhelmed? In case it is relevant, my 8th grader uses AoPS, MCT, Conceptual …
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Gatekeeping for a Secular Academic Group One of the complaints some make of SEA Homeschoolers is that we gatekeep when it comes to materials, curriculum, and programs. This complaint is accurate, and the gatekeeping is not going to go away. It takes work to enforce, and we think that work is worth it. Yes, SEA Homeschoolers does gatekeep. We are going to keep gatekeeping, too. Before going further, let me define how SEA Homeschoolers gatekeeps so we are all on the same page. Gatekeeping for our group refers to the practice of disallowing conversations about information and resources that do …
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WE BELIEVE FROM SEA HOMESCHOOLERS Want to know what SEA Homeschoolers is about? The SEA Homeschoolers Team collaborated on this list of 27 WE BELIEVE statements so you would know the answer! WE BELIEVE in the power of education to change the world. WE BELIEVE learning is how we get to be who we want to be in this one wild and precious life. WE BELIEVE all education models should meet the learner where they are and handcraft a journey through learning that centers on the unique intellect, strengths, challenges, and needs of the individual. WE BELIEVE an evidence-based education …
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SEA Homeschoolers Online Conference Series Vendor Pandia Press offers secular homeschool science and history curricula that are organized, flexible, academic, and hands-on. From history read-alouds to building scientific models and model ziggurats, we organize and plan all the K-12 education resources you need to teach your child engaging science and history. We offer a generous “Try Before You Buy” downloadable sample of any course in our catalog so you can decide if a book or study guide is right for your family. All samples include the table of contents, resources lists, supply lists (where applicable), and several lessons to get …
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