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“Curiosity, asking questions, not getting the right answer, deciding to find out for yourself, making a mistake and not giving up and learning patience. It was all there when I was 4 and a half.” ~ Jane Goodall In an interview on Startalk, Jane Goodall spoke about being a curious child. She said her mother […]
Do you remember learning how to spell? I have vague memories of spelling lists and spelling bees. We’d line up against the chalkboard, and one by one find our way back to our seats. I was usually the first in the class to sit down. Like math, spelling was something I believed you were either […]
Getting teenagers to read, let alone read for pleasure, can be challenging. One of my favorite and sometimes MOST difficult tasks as an English teacher is helping my students find a book they want to read. While some kids love to read, many won’t pick up a book unless they have to. If your teen […]
When I started homeschooling my children, I knew math was an area I’d struggle to help my kids enjoy, let alone learn, if I didn’t create a new experience for myself. I wanted my kids to be excited about math, love math even, which meant I had to be excited about it too. But, I […]
Math is one of the subjects I struggled with in school. Never hands on or student centered, I was often confused or just starting to understand a concept when we were moving on to something new. When we started to homeschool, I knew I wanted my kids to have a different story with math. I […]
My kids and I sat down at the kitchen table to begin our morning together. Between bites of egg and sips of coffee, I try to read with them every morning. On this morning we were beginning a new book, Code 7, Cracking the Code for an Epic Life. I read the title. Code 7, Cracking the Code […]
Two of the best classroom tools I used began the moment my students walked into the classroom and in the moments before they left. Our beginning and ending routines not only allowed students to transition, but they also allowed them to engage in their interests, check in with me individually and gave me time to […]
My children don’t know discrimination personally. They have never been made to feel less than because of where they were born, who they love, what they believe, or the color of their skin. This privilege means it is vital my children know their story is not the story, and they must use their voices […]
My husband and I have decided Idaho is one of the most beautiful places we’ve traveled. Jagged mountains, rolling hills, forests of evergreens- beauty is around each winding pass. Rivers snake through the mountains. Crystal clear lakes are the perfect spots to swim. Idaho is an outdoor lovers place to be. Travel with kids to Southwest […]
This summer my family is visiting my parents in Southwestern Idaho. This is the second time in three years we’ve headed to see them. Both times we’ve been in genuine awe of Idaho’s beauty. It really is one of the prettiest places we’ve ever traveled! On our more recent trip, my parents took us into […]
Our family vacation to Idaho begins in just a few days. We’re heading west to see my folks and sister, to check out Craters of the Moon National Park, Sawtooth National Forest, Redfish Lake, and all the things Eagle and Boise have to offer. We’re excited! In preparation for the long plane and car rides, […]
Have you been to South Dakota? It is a special place for my family. Not only does it hold the plants, animals and material culture my husband has spent the last decade studying, two of our best family vacations were spent in South Dakota’s hills. Why? Every drive is scenic. Sunsets and storms roll in […]
Spread out on the floor, large pieces of paper and markers between them, my students traced each other and turned their silhouettes into Greek Gods. Perfecting the look of the chiton and peplos, they also combed the Odyssey’s text for clues. Who were these gods, goddesses, monsters, and tragic heroes? What did they look like? […]
Are you a listmaker? My daughter and I love lists. Like really love them. I don’t know about her, but for me, the act of making a list grounds me. All the items, bulleted or numbered, and organized in rows gives me direction. I don’t have to remember it all. My seven year old recently […]
Greek Mythology has it all- heroes, villains, friendship, love, deception, snake hair, sea monsters, really cool shape-shifters, and Cyclops. The stories are captivating. The gods and goddesses lure readers, even the most resistant, into their adventures. My children, thanks to a little strewing, have spent the last three weeks inviting Zeus, Apollo, Odysseus, Percy Jackson […]
