The Homeschool Sanity Show

Have you ever wondered if it's possible (or legal) for your high school student to homeschool themselves? This is The Homeschool Sanity Show -- the episode where guest Karla Marie Williams answers our questions about self-directed homeschooling. Karla Marie Williams has been a guest on this podcast before. She's the author of multiple books, an international speaker, and a global advocate for children and families. She is also the President of BeBold Publishing, a publishing company that launches inspirational books, journals, and courses to impact moms around the world. I was curious about one of her recent titles Unschool Urself 4 Teens, so invited her back to chat about it. I was newly inspired and I know you will be too. Sponsor: Judson College http://judsoncollege.com Unschooling for Lifelong Learning Unschooling is a type of homeschooling that emphasizes student-led learning and learning through everyday life experiences. In this podcast episode, Melanie Wilson interviews Karla Marie Williams, an experienced unschooling parent and author of several books on homeschooling and unschooling. Williams emphasizes the importance of setting annual goals for unschooling children and building a deep, layered understanding of topics through a variety of resources such as books, online classes, mentors, and real-life experiences. She also recommends keeping a journal to record a child's learning journey and using pictures as evidence of their learning. This journal can be an excellent resource for creating transcripts when it comes time for college applications. Williams encourages parents to be confident in their child's learning, reminding listeners that learning does not have to look one way and that unschooling does not look the same way for each child. She also emphasizes the value of unschooling education for post-secondary education, as colleges and universities are recognizing the value of an unschooling education, especially for students passionate about specific areas. Overall, unschooling is a lifestyle of lifelong learning that allows children to pursue their passions and interests while building a broad, deep understanding of various topics. With the right resources and mindset, unschooling can lead to success in post-secondary education and beyond. Resources for Teen Unschooling Evernote Instagram Unschooling episode Unschooling Teens episode Find links for more of Karla's book here. Have a happy homeschool week!

Hey, homeschoolers! I think media literacy is a course we should consider including in our high school curriculum plan. When I learned that friend Nate Noorlander was teaching a class on it, I asked him to rejoin me on the podcast to discuss it. Nate gave me a new perspective that I hope blesses you as it did me. Watch on YouTube Sponsor: Judson College JudsonCollege.com/Visit   Takeaways * Media literacy is an important skill for high school students to navigate the internet safely and critically evaluate information. * Determining source reliability, bias, and perspective is crucial in media literacy. * Epistemological humility, the willingness to doubt oneself and be open to different perspectives, is a valuable skill in media literacy. * Finding accurate information in the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle can be challenging. * Having conversations about media literacy with children is important, and parents can take media literacy courses alongside their children. * The Nomadic Professor offers courses on media literacy, American history, free speech, and world history. Media Literacy Resources Teaching History on Location Media Literacy on Nomadic Professor.com Media Literacy through Aim Academy NomadicProfessor.com Instagram.com/nomadicprofessorcourses YouTube Nomadic Professor Have a happy homeschool week!

Hey, homeschoolers! I experienced a few types of math motivation problems with my kids: reluctance to learn math, reluctance to memorize math facts, and reluctance to prep for the math portion of college entrance exams. If you're struggling with math motivation, I have a guest who can help. Dennis DeNoia is better known as Mr. D., the math teacher. Several of my kids had him as an instructor and adored him. I met him in person at a Great Homeschool Convention eight years ago. He is one of the most positive people I know. I'll share our conversation about math motivation after this word from our sponsor: NOW Programs. Listen to the podcast Watch on YouTube Sponsor: NOW Programs Got a special needs student? See how NOW Programs can help. Resources Mr. D Math Mr. D on Instagram Mr. D on YouTube Have a happy week and if you're at a Great Homeschool Convention, be sure to tell us you heard us on the Homeschool Sanity Show.

At a recent Great Homeschool Convention, a mom asked me for the best way to have her son’s books published. This is the best time in history to become a published author. That’s because you no longer have to convince a publisher that receives thousands of manuscripts a year to choose your book. Neither do you have to pay thousands of dollars to publish the book yourself. My guest today is Grace Walker, a homeschooled student who self-published her first book, Stardust, at just 14. You’re going to want to get your copy of this space-themed adventure novel that’s perfect for teens. But if you are interested in self-publishing for yourself or your student, you’ll want to listen to our conversation. Sponsor Hey, homeschoolers! Before we dive into the topic, I want to thank CTC Math for sponsoring this episode of The Homeschool Sanity Show. Finding a math curriculum that works for your family can be a challenge! With CTCMath, all of your kids from K-12 can learn at their own pace with one family subscription. That's right! With a CTCMath membership, you have access to all grades and lessons, which means your children can work at whatever level is best for them. Whether your kid needs to catch up, keep up, or move ahead, with CTCMath they can finally understand math and work at their own pace. CTCMath is offering listeners a half-price discount plus a bonus 6 months when you register for a 12-month membership. Yep. That means you have access to a complete online homeschool math curriculum for all your kids for 18 months! Self-Publishing Resources Stardust (on Homeschool Sanity) Kindle Direct Publishing Canva Self-publishing group on Facebook Tips for Aspiring Writers

Hey, homeschoolers! This weekend I met a fellow homeschooler who was down about her homeschooled child's rebellion. She wondered if homeschooling had even been worth it because of what was happening. I did my best to encourage her because I have been there. Because I haven't addressed this topic on the podcast before, I wanted to share what I told her and even more if I had had the time. Watch on YouTube Introduction Before I start by sharing three key do's and don'ts for teen rebellion, I want to say that I'm sorry if you're experiencing this. Few things can be more demoralizing to a homeschool mama. I remember the day my normally compliant teen walked into homeschool gym class, eating a granola bar. I said, "You know we can't eat in the gym. Go to the breakroom to finish that." And right in front of my homeschool friends, he smirked and continued to eat it right where he was. Don't worry if your teen's behavior is far worse. That wasn't the full extent of my teen's rebellion, either. Rebellion hurts our feelings for sure. Before this day, I had a great relationship with my child. But in addition to hurt feelings, we are also terrified about the potential consequences of serious rebellion like lying, stealing, drinking, using drugs, having sex, refusing to cooperate, being violent, or rejecting Christ. We've all heard the horror stories, so when our teen defiantly eats a granola bar in the gym for all the homeschool world to see, it can feel like we're going to be someone else's cautionary tale. If and when your teen rebels, I believe God will guide you. I didn't know the mom or her daughter, so the counsel I gave had to be generic. That is the case on this podcast too. If something I say feels right, wonderful. If it doesn't, dismiss it. You won't hurt my feelings. With that caveat, let's dive in. Don't Blame Yourself My first DON'T is don't blame yourself. All loving mothers take too much responsibility for their teen's choices, but homeschool moms take this to a whole new level. That first bite of granola bar after I sent my teen out of the gym was evidence of my failure as a mom. We only studied obedience as a separate unit study once. We should have done more! We should have memorized more Scripture! I hadn't used enough consequences or the right ones. And on and on. What is funny to me is that my strong-willed son takes after his father, yet I didn't blame my husband. I blamed myself. I'm not suggesting that we pass the buck. But why (if we are co-parenting) do we tend to think it's entirely our responsibility to raise godly kids? That aside, the problem with blaming ourselves is we feel like failures. We can get depressed. We may want to quit homeschooling. We may surrender to the rebellion and fully expect the rest of our children to behave likewise. And they just might if we blame ourselves. The worst problem with blaming ourselves, however, is that we take the burden of responsibility from our teen--where it belongs. Imagine if you stole something from a store and the store owner chased you down to say that it was all her fault for not making it clear that stealing wasn't allowed or making it too easy for you to steal. You would be astonished! But that is the insanity we engage in when we take the blame for our teens' poor choices. Now, I'm fully aware that parents are usually blamed in our culture for kids gone wrong. It hurts when that blame is misplaced. But our focus must be on helping our teen, not worrying what others think.

Hey, homeschoolers! I loved having Dana K. White of A Slob Comes Clean on the podcast to discuss the container concept for clutter. If you missed that one, it's gold. When I heard she had a new book coming out, I jumped at the chance to have her back. I was especially intrigued because the book adds a faith-based perspective she hasn't shared before. Watch on YouTube Sponsor: NOW Programs Visit NOW Programs for special-needs resources. Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House Have a happy homeschool week!

Hey, homeschoolers! Are you happy with your homeschool style or approach to education, or could it use an upgrade? In this episode, I'm going to share why we should up our homeschool style and three simple ways to do it. Watch on YouTube What is Homeschool Style? Although I'm not talking about your wardrobe, I will be using fashion as a metaphor. Homeschool style is the educational philosophy that guides the way you teach. Unit studies is the homeschool style I used at the beginning of our homeschooling journey with 5 in a Row and then Konos. Because subjects are related in the real world, I felt it made sense to study all aspects of a topic. We studied kings and queens with music, art, drama, literature, and even food. I'll never forget eating a meal off a trencher or plate made from bread. We had a blast learning with unit studies. But as my older kids started high school, the unit study style wasn't working as well. I could have chosen from many popular styles to improve our homeschool: textbook, online, hybrid, Charlotte Mason, classical, unschooling, or eclectic. You might wonder how important homeschool style is if you're a newer homeschooler. That's a fair question. Referring to the fashion metaphor, I've interviewed two fashion stylists for the podcast. Both women shared that while style isn't the most important thing in life, it is important. When you are comfortable and confident in your clothing, you are happier. When you're happier, your relationships improve, and you have more success. Homeschool style is similar. If you are happy to start a day of school using the approach you've chosen, everything homeschool will be so much easier. Your kids will be happier; you'll spend less money; and you'll get more done. If that sounds good to you, I have three steps that will help you up your homeschool style. Sponsor First, I want to thank NOW Programs for sponsoring the podcast. 3 Steps for Improving Your Homeschool Style The first step in improving your homeschool style is an edit. Like a pair of pants with a snug waistband, your educational materials that don't fit stay in the closet. Same with high heels when most of your time is spent at home or at kids' sports practices. If we were going to upgrade your wardrobe, we would have you look at the unworn pieces in your closet. We will do the same with your homeschool style. Make a list of curriculum you don't or quit using or activities you skipped or dread. With a closet edit, I make a list on my phone of clothing I should not buy in the future: ribbed sweaters, colored boots. Some things that ended up on my don't-buy list for homeschooling were: Latin, foreign language curricula, and lab-heavy curricula. When it came to these things, it didn't matter if my friends or online influencers were loving them--like chunky boots they were going to gather dust in my closet. Doing a homeschool style edit can save you time and money. You won't buy books or sign up for extracurriculars you won't use and enjoy. When you're decluttering clothes, you can choose to give them away or sell them. You have the same options when it comes to physical curriculum. There are local and online sales outlets to consider. Just a note that most digital curriculum is copyright...

Hey, homeschoolers! I recently read Mark Forster's book How to Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play and I absolutely loved it. It's been another of his books that has been life-changing for me. In this episode, I want to share principles from the book that can help you accomplish your homeschool and other goals this year and have plenty of free time too. Watch on YouTube Sponsor NOW Programs for students with special needs. Defining Everything How can we possibly get everything done? We can't. Mr. Forster is very clear that by everything, he means everything we have decided we can and must do. Most of us are trying to do way too much--too many curricula, too many activities, even too many fun things. Until we limit the number of tasks and projects and commitments we take on, we will continue to struggle. With that caveat out of the way, let's talk about the struggle to get everything done. I would say that all my life I have had the same issue: I do a good job accomplishing a few top priorities, but everything else seems to get put on the back burner until it becomes a crisis. For example, when I create a task plan for the week, quarter, or year, writing curriculum like Training Aliens or preparing for a Great Homeschool Convention is the top priority. Publishing this podcast is the next highest priority. But what about social media? That gets pushed aside along with website changes and home projects and I don't even want to talk about taxes! I have a feeling you can relate. Approaches for Getting Everything Done For you, maybe it's math and English that are prioritized, meaning that science experiments, foreign language, or art get put off. I've shared before about loop scheduling being a great option for this. You have a day or a time block that you assign two or more activities to. Then you loop or rotate through them in order. If last time you did a science experiment, then today you'd do foreign language. Theme days are another way of dealing with these lower priorities. If you never get around to decluttering your art supplies, you might dedicate Saturdays to decluttering. Or you dedicate the last day of the month to deep cleaning. These approaches have worked for me for a time. But when I missed enough of my looping or theme days, I would usually determine that I needed to give up the activity altogether and focus on my top priorities. The negative cycle would begin again. Enter Mark's book, which sets the stage with a fairy tale. Story-based inspiration? I'm here for it. This fairy tale has the hero, Hans, seeking wisdom for getting things done so he can focus on his top priority--winning the princess's hand in marriage. I found myself relating to Hans as he tried many recommended approaches to getting things done. They worked for a while and then led to the same problem of lower priority tasks becoming a crisis. Poor Hans struggled to be successful AND win the princess. The Get Everything Done Approach Enter Mark Forster as our wise guide. He suggests an approach that reminds me of what I had recommended years ago in a blog post I calle...

Hey, homeschoolers! I used to be of the mind that leaders were born, not made. What I mean is, I thought you needed to be a Type A extrovert to be a leader. There didn't seem to be much point to teaching my introverted kids how to lead. But my opinion has changed as I've watched my introverted, Type B child become a leader. I've also changed my thinking after interviewing Kerry Beck for the podcast. Her definition of leadership motivates us to teach every child these skills. I'm thrilled to be joining Kerry for the Raising Leaders, Not Followers conference starting February 25th. You can sign up now for free if you know you'll be able to watch live or register for the VIP option at homeschoolsanity.com/leaders. I'll be sharing how to help your child make and keep friends. I would love to have you join me. Kerry Beck helps you get past the perfect Instagram image & move on to real-life ways to raise your kids to lead, instead of follow. She offers practical tips to encourage your kids to love learning, think critically and influence those around them as adults. She inspires moms with her personal & spiritual stories of moving from overwhelmed to peace & resting in God. Kerry homeschooled her three (now adult) children for 10 years. She has a free homeschooling ebook for you at HowToHomeschoolMyChild.com. Watch on YouTube Sponsor NOW Programs provides services to benefit special-needs learners. Leadership Resources Homeschool Coffee Break Podcast: https://howtohomeschoolmychild.com/podcast2024/ Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/groups/HowToHomeschoolMyChild Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/howtohomeschoolmychild/ YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpuF_qVYrSVUUZrL8mWhYfA Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/howtohomeschool/ Leadership Summit http://homeschoolsanity.com/leaders Have a happy homeschool week!

      Organizing is a popular goal for the new year. If you're a homeschooler wanting to get organized, it can be hard to know where to start. Consider the six areas I share in this podcast episode. SPONSOR: NOW Programs Have a child with learning challenges? NOW Programs offers help.   Want to read the podcast as a blog post? READ HERE or SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES or ON STITCHER Links Airtable.com a comprehensive post about the best places buy/sell used curriculum Konmari method  for folding clothes Plan to Eat Tastefully Simple’s 30 day meal plan free meal planning book The Organized Homeschool Life   Which area are you organizing first? Let's chat about it on Facebook.