Heart of the Matter

The Blame Game

Lori Lane — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:50:10 +0000

I should know better. I’ve been involved in education for almost 31 years. I’ve been a wife for almost thirty years. I’ve been a mother for over 27 years. I’ve been homeschooling for 20 years. I should know better. Yet somehow, when I start to struggle, when I feel overloaded and overcommitted, when I’m [...]

A Reason for Handwriting

Kimberly — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:00:01 +0000

About a dozen years ago, a friend came to me who decided that she would bypass handwriting with her children and jump straight to keyboarding. She and her husband would allow their child to learn manuscript printing, but when it came to mastering a cursive form, their firm response, to this day, holds a prominent [...]

When Mommy Gets Distracted

Karen — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:43 +0000

A homeschool mom’s life is full of distractions. What curriculum to buy, what the moms in the homeschool co-op are doing, what is the latest style of homeschooling we should try. How many times do we think we need to change what we are doing because we get distracted with all of the information out [...]

Benefits of Being in an Ensemble

Mary Prather — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:15 +0000

I’d like to talk with you about the importance of music in your children’s lives. More specifically, I want to tell you the benefits of participating in a group music experience (ensemble). Whether it is band, orchestra, chorus, or musical theater, these experiences are invaluable for our children! It gives them an “anchor” and a [...]

To dream again.

Jenny — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:00:52 +0000

I remember being that young mom in my early twenties with only a couple little ones under toe. I stayed at home, I baked, I cooked, I went to bible study, homeschooled, and had, 3-days a week, playdates with my best friend who had kids the same age. It was fun and hard at the [...]

This Week At Heart Of The Matter

admin — Sat, 18 May 2013 14:00:15 +0000

Grab a cup of coffee or tea and take some time to catch up on these amazing articles from this week at Heart of the Matter! Raising a Lifelong Learner The Value of Play FROM THE ARCHIVES: What’s in Your Beach Bag? -------------------------------------- Great Products: Learn Our History | Amanda Bennett Unit Studies © Heart [...]

The Value of Play

Elizabeth Curry — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:11 +0000

Scenes from my morning… My four children who are developmentally preschoolers (even though their ages range from 4 to 10) are happily playing with homemade play dough. Each is busy rolling, poking, cutting, pulling, and smashing the dough. This keeps them busy for a somewhat miraculous two hours. They are so engrossed in what they [...]

Raising a Lifelong Learner

Debbie Strayer — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:16 +0000

Someone looks out the front window to see a snapping turtle in the yard. Immediately, kids and adults run out the door to see the critter that has made its way into our space. Wildlife handbook in hand, we determine the species and habitat of our visitor. We talk about what it eats, where it [...]

Organizing Digital Bookmarks

Bethany — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:00:57 +0000

By now, many of you have probably caught on to the Pinterest addiction as I have. If you haven’t yet, skip ahead to the next section. If you spend hours surfing and pinning, you’ve already established boards for your favorite finds. Just organize those boards as you would organize your computer files and you’re good [...]

How to Pick the Right Curriculum

Belinda — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:25 +0000

Before you get too excited, let me say that this article will not suggest any one curriculum, or devalue any other curriculum. There are far too many choices out there for me to offer much wisdom in that area. Indeed, homeschooling has come a long way from the few publishers that would actually sell to [...]