Reschooling Posts // February 18-24, 2024
Captured Moments #22
February 24, 2024 from
It’s good to have you here as we land together at the end of another week. How are you? What have you been up to? I’ve been thinking a lot this week about what I offer here on Substack, the how and why I want to offer it. I’m still mulling things over, gently feeling my way through it all. The reason I started sharing our Captured Moments each week was in response to many conversations with tentative parents, just starting their fledgling journey into home education.
Albany Pop-Up Adventure Playground
February 24, 2024 from
Welcome to the captivating world of children's play at my event, Albany Pop-Up Adventure Playground. Step into an enchanting realm where every moment becomes a canvas for learning. In this visually compelling narrative, we embark on a profound journey of exploration, creativity, curiosity, and collaboration, beautifully illustrated through a series of vibrant images captured at Albany Pop-Up.
The Subtle Art of Provoking Teenagers
February 23, 2024 from
At the end of the Unschool Adventures Berlin trip in October, I took a long trail run to decompress from the stressful final 12 hours, during which three teens began spontaneously vomiting just before their return flight to New York. Relieved that the vomiting ceased, the flight departed, and the trip stayed within budget, I allowed myself to begin daydreaming "what comes next?" while bouncing along the soft brown humus trails of the Grunewald.
Self-Compassion for a Healthier Mindset | A Conversation with Michelle Brownell
February 21, 2024 from Raising Lifelong Learners
The best part of homeschooling can be found in the tiny moments—the laughter shared over an interesting problem or the excitement of a new discovery. These make up the tapestry of educational and emotional growth.
How to Build Your Own Pop-Up Adventure Playground
February 22, 2024 from
In the heart of downtown Albany, NY, the Albany Pop-up Adventure Playground sparked a wave of joy and creativity through unstructured play. If you're enthusiastic about replicating this success in your own community, here's an enhanced and detailed step-by-step guide to help you kickstart your initiative.
Holidays are just regular life, in an unfamiliar place
February 22, 2024 from
We were away on holiday the past five days. We live in Thailand, where it’s fairly easy and affordable to jump on a boat or plane (or both) to an island for a few days. The word “jump” though, conjures up an image of us gathering a few belongings and leaping over to an island, all cheerful and spur of the moment and light. Of course that’s not what we do at all.
Interest-Led Unit Studies For Older Children: A Behind The Scenes Look
February 20, 2024 from Different By Design Learning
At any given point in my time, my boys have one or two overriding interests each, that guide almost everything we do. For my oldest, it’s usually something build oriented. Building aquariums, building computers, building guitars – you get the idea. For my youngest, it’s almost always something related to animals or Harry Potter, or both.
It's Not All Sunshine and Rainbows in Unschooling
February 21, 2024 from
There are many beautiful stories of home education. “The book work they want to do takes just two hours a day, and the rest of our time is free for bike riding, board games, and homemade scavenger hunts!” “Worldschooling! My kids help choose where we go next, buy the tickets, handle the budget, eat all the food, and spend hours playing with local kids while learning a new language!”
Frolicking is Forbidden! Playground Sign Lists 21 Rules
February 21, 2024 from Free Range Kids
“Welcome! Play Safe” reads the sign at a Fairfax County Public School playground in Virginia just outside of DC. It goes on to list 21 rules, by my count. Gee, what a normal society we live in! First of all, the sign says, the playground should never be used when it’s frozen. Or wet.
[Podcast #225] Homeschooling with Babies & Toddlers in Tow
February 21, 2024 from Brave Writer
Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is about how to homeschool while you have a baby or toddler in tow. First, Julie and Melissa talk about daily routines, like finding pockets of time to teach your older kids while your toddler is napping or when you are all taking a family walk. Then they give specific activities that can keep toddlers occupied.
Seeing genius in my child
February 20, 2024 from
My first child is about ten months old and they are brilliant. They spoke their first word at 7 months, and by 9 months they knew multiple words. The average child tends to begin speaking only around 12 months, and it is not until about 18 months that they are able to begin combining words into simple sentences. I expect my child will get there by 12 months. Did I say they were brilliant?
Simply Do It
February 20, 2024 from Brave Writer
If you want your child to learn something, try the thing in your child’s presence. Work the math problem or copy the passage in full view. Don’t announce it. Simply do it. Be an object of curiosity rather than a teacher. Pick something that you would love to do and then, just do it.
Protecting The Bubble
February 20, 2024 from and
When I look back at the memories where I was most creative as a child; taking part in a junk modelling competition with the cubs, building a raft in the air cadets, making dens in the woods with my brother, creating an awesome Lego pirate ship, I can see that all of these activities had a few things in common.
Protecting The BubbleSlow Learners
February 19, 2024 from
One of the mysteries of life for me is why we have designed school in such a way that it requires children to do so many things which are very hard for them - and which become much easier in adulthood. We require them to sit still when they are desperate to move. To stay in their seats when they want to crawl under the table. To keep quiet and listen when their body wants to play and shout.
[Webinar] An Easier Way to Teach Decoding with Dr. Marnie Ginsberg
February 19, 2024 from Brave Writer
Do you wonder if there’s an easier way to teach your child to read? Or maybe you need help teaching your struggling reader. Dr. Marnie Ginsberg, founder of Reading Simplified, joins us as our guest speaker to show us a better, easier approach for growing strong readers. She’ll share integrated practices that prepare great readers and shine a different light on phonics instructions.
Homeschooling High School: What Matters Most May Surprise You
February 18, 2024 from Different By Design Learning
After graduating one homeschooler and beginning ninth grade this year with my second, I can honestly say that homeschooling high school is nothing like I thought it would be. While I worried about transcripts and algebra, what mattered most took me by surprise. It may surprise you as well.
