Fall makes me nostalgic. It’s a time when I begin reminiscing, even for a moment, my ten years of home-educating our son and daughter. I enjoyed immensely the process of choosing curricula and filling out my teacher’s lesson plan book (which I rarely followed after the first month.)
Not only has that time come again, but it will have a different look this year. For some parents, a part of their child’s day will be virtual, the remainder in a physical class, with masks and social distancing. Unless of course, they are home-educated, which many parents have made the decision to do.
Regardless, I want to encourage all parents of school-aged children as they navigate the process, and, admittedly, fulfill in me a touch of that ‘first-day-of-school’ longing.
FAVORITE CURRICULUM:
I chose the gentle art of learning — a Classical/Charlotte Mason approach. All resources below reflect my favorite learning style.
For a fabulous history course that will take your child from 1st grade through HS, incorporating art, music and literature: MYSTERY OF HISTORY
To explain the gentle art of this type of education (especially good for young children) here is: A CHARLOTTE MASON COMPANION
To go a step further and give a Christian world view perspective, read: THE WHOLE-HEARTED CHILD
For a fabulous list of many decades of ‘living books’ (read the Charlotte Mason Companion for a definition) there is: ALL THROUGH THE AGES
For online curriculum (I wrote the HS Home Ec course): SCHOOLHOUSE TEACHERS SITE & AUDIO AD
For used curriculum that will save you a bundle:
HOMESCHOOL USED BOOKS
For just plain parenting issues of all sorts, let me introduce my favorite parenting couple. I couldn’t have survived my parenting years without the Lord and these resources:
And lastly, two resources related to my middle-grade historical fiction, The Heart Changer (have you read it?)
THE HEART CHANGER TEACHER’S GUIDE
I hope this has been an inspiration for those of you home educating your children. Keep on keeping on in the strength of the Lord!!
— Jarm Del Boccio, Debut MG Historical Fiction Author