Many children are reading independently by the intermediate years. With my oldest two, it didn’t occur to me to keep reading to them once they were flying solo. My job seemed complete; the skill of reading and the habit of reading were set.

It was natural to read books aloud to the following two children for much longer as those skills and habits were set much later. Also, in those early years of parenting, I was always eager to get to the next stage. Eventually, my thinking shifted and I did everything in my power to settle into each stage and stay as long as possible.

My youngest four have been read to a lot and it is a stage in which I’m in no rush to let go. Even my 16-year-old, 6-foot-tall son is part of our morning time read-aloud.

Continuing to read aloud to your readers comes with some perks so keep going!

Factory Settings

Every family develops a family culture. Have you put thought into what you want your family culture to look like, or is your family operating on factory settings? Being purposeful about developing a culture of reading aloud is a very simple way to break free from those settings.

Family Bonding

There is no shortage of things that pull families away from each other. We need to be purposeful about protecting the things that draw us together. There are expensive and time-intensive ways to accomplish this and then there are the simple day in and day out rhythms of life that I would suggest work even better: eating together, reading aloud, and worshipping together.

I’ve only just begun reading The Life Giving Home, but if you want to be inspired as you build family culture and bonding I think this would be a good place to start.

Avoid Losing Ground

Your readers lose ground when you have been reading aloud to them and then stop because they are reading independently. The vocabulary and writing that your newly independent readers interact with will be simple…by design. Continue to read aloud! We want them to be bumping into language that is above their reading level, not to mention the added benefit of hearing how to properly pronounce difficult words.

Life-Long Learning

Reading aloud together allows you to demonstrate how to soak in everything you can from reading a book. After completing a chapter or two expand your knowledge of the country in which the story is set by pouring over a map book together. The Peterson Field Guides are not just for nature walks! They are a great resource to use as you explore books together. Grab one off the shelf to learn a little more about the animal or flower that was mentioned. YouTube and Google work as well, and we use them but I also love building a family library.  Whatever tools you decide to use, the idea is to be reading aloud with your children. It gives you the opportunity to show them what it looks like to be a curious lifelong learner.

Build Communication Skills

When you read aloud to your children you’ve opened the door to all sorts of conversations and communication skill-building. If you are reading to multiple children it’s a great way for them to learn that others may develop opposing opinions, and have differing perspectives. This summer I’m diving into Teaching the Classics. If you are interested in using dialogue and conversation more purposefully in your homeschool then you should check it out too.

Discussing books gives children an opportunity to practice moving their thoughts, ideas, and opinions from their minds to the spoken word. It’s such a simple thing but it builds communication skills. Many families use narration as a foundation to build writing skills. Honestly, it’s not something we’ve been super successful with but its value became very obvious to me as we tried to tackle Writing with Ease. The skill that is developed with this program was a real challenge for my children. I suspect that solid narration skills would have helped. We carry a bunch of narration resources; I have my eye on Know and Tell by Karen Glass.

Keep Reading Aloud!

We all live in a sea of amazing homeschool ideas. You need to know that you can’t possibly do them all and in fact, the “good” homeschool mom is not the one who tries to do it all. You would be wise to slow down, think things through, and be purposeful and prayerful about the homeschooling culture you want. It will mean saying no to things…even good things. Having said all of that, reading aloud to your children is foundational and not a trend. It’s worth making time for.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 24 and in 2021 the family added a son-in-law to the bunch. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Read Aloud to Your Readers! appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Talk to any team sports coach and they will be able to list off all the reasons why team sports are the investment you should make. The martial arts master, the dance teacher, the swim coach, the outdoor enthusiast, the theatre director, and the music teacher will also have an equally convincing list. Over the years, our family has been involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities and there have been times when we’ve regretted our decisions and there have been investments into activities from which we continue to benefit.

Sometimes we parent with a bit of a default setting; without much thought, we sign our children up for activities we were involved in or what our friend group is involved in. Instead, we need to be purposeful.

Five Things to Consider

Pray!

Ask the Lord for direction as you consider extra-curricular activities for your children. They may not be interested in the same things you are. He knows them and He knows their future so spend time asking Him to guide you.

Consider your finances and be creative.

On more than one occasion we were able to barter with instructors for discounted rates; it doesn’t hurt to ask. Extra-curricular activities should not become a financial burden so avoid any mindset that might cause you to take on more than you can comfortably afford. Comparing what your family is able to take on compared to another is a fruitless exercise and that goes for more than just finances. Not all families are set up to take on high levels of time or energy commitments.

Discuss what you value when it comes to extra-curricular activities.

What are you really looking for? You might find that you can cross a few options off your list once you are clear about your values and maybe there is a better way to get what you are looking for.

Do your research!

You need to know how an activity will affect things like church attendance, family mealtime, and your weekends. Be mindful of the effect certain activities will have on family time.

Don’t fall prey to the pressure to start too young.

You won’t regret keeping life simple during the early years. There are so many things you can do as a family that will help prepare your children for any future activities so go skating, head to the pool, and buy some rhythm instruments.

If you are interested in introducing your children to the study of music take a look at the resources below.

How to Grow a Music Lover
Music Study with the Masters
Musical Instruments – Coloring Book
Great Composers – Coloring Book
Springman’s Music CD

The post Avoid Extra Burdens with Extra-Curricular (5 Tips) appeared first on Classical Education Books.

A simple and universal definition is not so easy to come by and the confusion seems to enter with the higher-level chapter books. Where is the cut-off? At what point is a book considered a novel? And does it even matter?

Early Reader Books, Chapter Books and Intermediate/Middle-Grade Novels are all designed with a particular reading level in mind and they have distinct differences. Early Readers are designed with beginners in mind. They have pictures, and the words, font and spacing are chosen carefully to fit a new reader’s ability and stamina for reading. Intermediate/Middle-Grade novels are designed for more advanced readers; they are full-length novels but they are still designed with children in mind. The content and formatting are more mature.

What is a Chapter Book?

Chapter books fit in between those two categories and are generally geared towards 7-10-year-olds. They are usually a moderate length, roughly 2,000-10,000 words and the writing is more complex.

Chapter books are an important category of books and are often considered “make or break books” because they are the gateway to more advanced reading. Chapter books are not full-length novels but they are divided into chapters. The chapters are short, they may contain the occasional illustration, but they contain large blocks of text. A well-formatted chapter book considers the font choice, spacing, and the amount of white space on a page as the entire point of chapter books is to NOT be intimidating to a young reader.

Although chapter books are an important tool in bridging the gap between early reader books and novels, not all children need them. Some children bypass chapter books or move through the chapter book stage very quickly and that’s ok. The hurdle here is keeping them challenged without introducing themes beyond their years.

It is equally common to have children for whom chapter books become a staple for an extended period of time. These fledgling readers also need carefully selected books but for different reasons. We’ve come up with a few things to consider as you carefully curate your chapter book library.

Chapter Book Tips

1. Your Chapter Book Library doesn’t have to be filled with drivel. There is quality literature to found in chapter books.

2. If you are looking for chapter books to spark interest in reading start with something your children are already interested in.

3. Consider the length of the book and the length of the chapters as not all chapter books are created equal. Start small, especially for those wobbly readers. We don’t want to scare them off. Give them a quick win!

3. Take a look at the font size and spacing. The tiny type and compressed spacing can be overwhelming for children as they transition to independent reading.

4. Consider a “you read to me and I read to you” approach. This could be page by page or chapter by chapter.

5. Don’t stop reading aloud to your children. It is invaluable even for advanced readers. If you want to learn more about connecting with your family through reading aloud then you’ll want to get your hand on this book. The Read-Aloud Family

It’s important to understand what you are looking for when you are building a stack of chapter books for your young readers. Take care to match your reader with the right book as you don’t want to reading to become drudgery.

More of Our Favorite Chapter Books:

Adventures with Waffles
The Whipping Boy
The Hundred Dresses
Sarah, Plain and Tall

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 24 and in 2021 the family added a son-in-law to the bunch. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Clear the Confusion about Chapter Books appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Literacy involves much more than reading words on a page and wordless books are an often overlooked tool in the literacy toolbox. Have you been overlooking them? I have!

“Reading” wordless books increases vocabulary. Your children have two sets of vocabulary: one they can understand when they hear it but not use and one they can understand and properly use in a sentence. Reading wordless books challenges and increases that second set of vocabulary skills.

“Reading” a wordless book gives your children an opportunity to practice building a story long before they can write one and collecting thoughts and verbalizing them is foundational to writing.

“Reading” a wordless book ignites the imagination.

There is no right or wrong way to read a wordless book but here are a few tips.

1. Read the title and study the cover; make predictions about what the story will be about.
2. Enjoy the pictures together, look closely at the images and simply chat about what you notice.
3. Start from the beginning and re-read the story to your child. Later, you can read a page and they can read a page. Once your children have caught on, you can assign them a wordless book to read and then come back to share their creation.

Wordless books are a great pre-school activity and we have a perfect pre-school starter book, Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola.

Up and Up by Shirley Hughes is a favourite wordless book and a must-have!

Mirror by Jeannie Baker is a brilliant wordless book. Your children will learn all about the differences between two cultures without ever reading a word.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 24 and in 2021 the family added a son-in-law to the bunch. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Have You Been Missing Out on Wordless Books? appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Christmas is a season, not a day!

If your family follows the traditional Christmas calendar, then the Christmas season started on the last Sunday of November with the beginning of Advent and won’t end until January 6th. That is plenty of time to fit in the decorating, hosting, baking, wrapping, and celebrating; if it’s not then you have too many tasks on your list. Once you embrace Christmas as a season, then those sugar cookies you bake every year…you know the ones, they require refrigeration before you can roll them out, then they need to be baked, then cooled, then iced…consider baking them as a special treat for New Year’s Eve or on one of the Twelve Days of Christmas (December 25^th– January 5^th). You may need to think outside the box, it may mean bending some long-standing traditions, but it will help relieve some pressure.

Make Lists

If you are not a list maker, then this is a perfect time of year to sit down with pen and paper and get yourself organized. List making is a sure way to add calmness to Christmas and it is the simplest way to help you get organized. Lists help you re-evaluate; there may be items on your list that you simply must let go of. Lists also help to get the clutter out of your mind and onto paper.  Invest time today in figuring out what you are making for Christmas dinner, the list of ingredients you need for those sugar cookies, and what gifts still need to be bought! This time investment will pay off!

Never accept invitations on the spot.

Always answer with, “I’ll check my calendar and get back to you”. And did you know that you can decline an invitation even if your day is free? Yes, it’s true! I encourage you to look at your calendar and evaluate your week, not just the day. You can gracefully decline without giving a reason and simply offer another time that works better for you and your family.

I enjoy the Christmas season and like to participate in all the things: gift-giving, decorating, baking, hosting, crafting, and other activities. Over the years, I’ve learned how to gracefully decline invitations, how to be more organized, and how to set a calm pace. I hope you’ve been able to glean even just a little something.

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by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 8 to 24 and in 2021 the family added son-in-law to the bunch. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Curb the Christmas Chaos appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Homeschooling families often experience wells of internal pressure, wondering, “how will we complete all of this?” The pressure can also be external as well-meaning family and friends express concern over learning gaps (and socialization). This pressure can positively wreck a new homeschooling family’s peace of mind and drift their course off path if sharp enough.

I need to let you know that of all the sticky notes of information that we put before our children during their homeschool years only some will stick and crinkle with age, most won’t remain on the mirror.

Homeschooling quickly becomes a lifestyle, and you begin to think less and less of ‘school-lessons’ and instead, just ‘life’ as the years press on. Diligence in academics (over recalling facts), consistency in character-building, perseverance in physical training, fellowship with peers and family, extracurricular experiences, and a growing faith in God create a solid and holistic soul.

Consider examples from my family. I have students who are flustered by a lot of math yet push through the discomfort to do about 10-15 minutes per day, even in the summer. It is this diligent character that I want to stick. Stories stick and so it is the moral lessons that are built upon living books that will stand the test of time. It is the routine and habit of moving our bodies along with the seasons (lake swimming, hiking, etc.) that will reach into their adulthood and make a difference. And the community that is built with regular church attendance and the faith that is built as we face challenges and are witness to God’s love, care, correction, and goodness that we want to see still sticking as time goes on.

Swap out a few activities and your family is just like mine. Perhaps you have not considered yourself to be nurturing a whole person because these things don’t tick off provincial learning outcomes. The majority of your homeschooling role is to bolster the person and celebrate the sum of the whole, not just complete the small academic portion of each individual. Even during difficult seasons where one may feel that schooling falls by the wayside, there is still forward motion.

The human brain is curious and driven to keep learning and parents hold the rudder, guiding our young children on what to learn. But they will inevitably be the ones to keep the boat going. And whether a lackadaisical summer-day row, a fever-pitch race, or a leak in the boat, every bit is momentum towards who they will become. We have a grand privilege to watch every part of it and God uses it all including our persistent work and love.

The sticky notes that stick? Those are the glimpses of the people they are becoming. The student may forget the dates of past wars, or might not remember how to solve quadratic equations, but does any of this matter in the formation of a human being who is developing to reflect God’s glory? Also, those sticky notes that stick contains their gifts, talents, and aspirations; they will remain and likely blossom into something beautiful over time. Feed and nurture those! As you look back, the crinkly and aged yellow paper that is still on the mirror were previews to who they are becoming. We will never get to all the read-alouds, or every science lab, but we can reorient our expectations to provide security and love to the growing immortal soul in front of us.

“How can it be a large career to tell other people’s children about the Rule of Three, and a small career to tell one’s own children about the universe? G.K. Chesterton

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My name is Sarah Mast and I homeschool my two kids in Ft. Langley, BC. One of my favorite aspects of homeschooling is the community gained, and I  volunteer with a local support group to help foster that and connect others. My family loves the outdoors and traveling, and our weekends include skiing, swimming, hiking, or biking depending on the season. I found Classical Education Books at a conference and noticed their well-curated selection of children’s books. I kept tabs on their collection of the classics and hard-to-find books and reached out. Now I get to help customers hone their collections, and work on the ever-growing inventory here at CEB!

The post It Won’t All Stick appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Almost 20 years ago, I was listening to a radio broadcast on Christian radio and heard the host describe a list of things that were statistically known to help children walk well along their Christian journey. One of the items on that list was “having an adult, other than parents, who spurred them on in the faith”.  I encourage you to be that person. And if you are the grandparent of a homeschooler, you have an extra special opportunity.

Understand the Benefits

The homeschool community is growing but still contains only a fraction of school-aged children in Canada. Many parents waffle a bit as they entertain the idea of homeschooling, and it can be a challenge for grandparents too; I encourage you to get on board early. Here is a list of benefits that might help you understand why your children have decided to take this on.

1. There is more time to bond as a family
2. Children are not immersed in competing worldviews day in and day out
3. Families are less reliant on the government
4. There is more time available to spend with grandparents
5. Increased opportunity for one-on-one instruction
6. More time to pursue interests
7. Freedom to avoid the hurried pace of the typical school experience
8. Children can more easily work at their own pace

If you are still struggling with the idea of your children homeschooling your grandchildren, consider being supportive despite your reservations. Over time you will witness the benefits and may even become an advocate.

The Nuts and Bolts

If you’ve decided to jump in and support your children and grandchildren there are a few key things that would be helpful for you to know.

1. Each province and territory in Canada has a different set of homeschooling regulations. Find out what they are in your area.
2. Some homeschool families remain connected to the public school system while others are able or choose to be independent. For families connected to the public system, there are often checklists to complete throughout the school year; maybe there is something that you can take on.
3. Here is a starter list of common homeschool terms for you to research
   1. classical education
   2. charlotte mason education
   3. unschooling and deschooling
   4. traditional homeschooling
   5. eclectic homeschooling
   6. outdoor/forest/wild schooling
   7. read-alouds
   8. copywork, dictation and narration
   9. living books and twaddle
   10. unit studies

Support

Once you are armed with basic information, you are ready to find out where you can fit in. You have talents, passions, interests, and wisdom to pass on to your grandchildren. Talk about it with the parents to see how you might be able to serve, but be sure to figure out what will work for them; maybe it will be once a week, maybe it will be once a month. I know an involved homeschooling grandma who is planning to teach German to her grands, but the subject matter does not have to be academic in nature. You can pass on your gardening skills, mechanical giftedness, start a book club or a weekly bible study.

There is no shortage of ways to serve a busy family even if you are not interested in teaching. Take the time to figure out what might be a good fit for you. My Mum has been a huge blessing to us over the years. Once a week she came to help with laundry, make dinner, play games, and visit with the children. Those days often became my appointment and errand days, and I was regularly able to take time for phone calls and visits with friends.

What I’ve described so far might seem like too big of a commitment for you or maybe your family is just too overwhelmed, at the moment, to figure out how to include you. Honestly, the smallest gesture can be so helpful. In an attempt to feed my family healthy food, I often found snack time challenging. Making homemade muffins, or dropping off a fruit or veggie plate might be just the thing to help your family.

If you have the means, consider helping financially. When a family decides to homeschool, they take on a significant financial commitment, often living on one income and having to purchase all the needed curriculum, lessons, books, and supplies. Offer to pay for a set of swimming lessons, buy the art supplies, or fund a book-a-month club.

Try to Avoid

A key benefit to homeschooling is the opportunity to develop an individualized education that is tailor-made for each student. Therefore, it is counterproductive to compare one grandchild to another, either within a family or between families. It is completely acceptable to have students who start reading at age 4 and in grade 4.

Avoid using spot quizzes to gauge how well this homeschool thing is working out. Instead, look at the relationships, and the developing character, faith, and love.

Socialization is not something you need to worry about unless your grandchildren never leave the house. If they are going to the grocery store, getting together with other families for walks, hosting visitors in their home, and visiting you, they are learning how to socialize.

Instead of being offended by your adult child’s decision to do something differently from you, take it as a compliment; you have raised a brave, courageous, independent, and responsible adult.

Final Thoughts

Your adult children are pulling a wagon and it contains the vision they have for their family and it’s a heavy load because they have a host of forces that are trying to pull that wagon in other directions. They need you to come alongside and help pull that wagon. Take the time to discover what their vision is and then, even despite not understanding all the parts of the vision, pitch in.

Note to Parents

If your children have a grandparent that helps pull your family wagon in the direction that you are trying to go then Grandparents Day is the day to give them extra praise. They really are a valuable resource.

Thanks to my own sweet Mum. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post My Adult Children are Homeschooling My Grandchildren – Now What? appeared first on Classical Education Books.

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We don’t run a rigorous homeschool, but I like to be productive and can get discouraged when the hours float away with little to show for it. I am on a constant quest to improve our mornings and am a firm believer in the idea that winning the morning is key to winning the day; those days become weeks and months before you know it.

In part one, I wrote about Homeschool Morning Time/Morning Baskets as part of a successful morning; you can read about that here.

Habits help your mornings.

Another key ingredient that I aim to include in our mornings is good habits. If we were to all sit-down and share our visions for a successful morning, none of us would include spending 20 minutes looking for the grammar textbook before starting the grammar lesson! Instead, we should be building in ourselves and our children some foundational habits of orderliness. Good habits are important, and your morning habits set you up for the rest of day; poor morning habits have a way of reaching into your evening, and poor evening habits reach into the next morning (morning girl hates late-night girl).

Values and Habits

You need to decide for yourself what habits are important to you. Start by thinking about what you value and go from there to build habits in yourself and your children. We don’t all value the same things, in the same order of priority and that’s ok. There are many categories of habits: health & wellness habits, spending & financial habits, social & relationship habits, cleanliness & orderliness habits, productivity habits…the list goes on. It really is worth sitting down, thinking things through, and coming up with a plan to incorporate the habits that align with your values.

What works for me, might not work for you.

I’m someone who values orderliness and so in my world, washing the breakfast dishes right before having to make lunch is a madness maker but really there is no law that says breakfast dishes must be washed immediately after breakfast. I believe what’s important is that you have a plan and live with a quiet confidence in your plan. Those breakfast dishes need to get done and if washing them at noon fits better into your day then go with that. What I think is hard to live with on a day-to-day basis is to arrive in the kitchen at noon and realize, “Oh right, I haven’t done the breakfast dishes yet”.

The morning is key!

As you work through the process of identifying your values and then deciding on what habits need to be worked on, focus on morning habits for now. There is no need to tackle an entire days’ worth of habits or every single beneficial health and wellness habit all at once. Instead, focus on what you want your mornings to be like and evolve from there.

Training your Children

Your children are building habits whether you guide them in this or not and they will be habits that will serve them well in the future or compound the challenges of life.

Training the habits of children is challenging and sometimes slow going. If we were enjoying a cup of tea together, I would encourage you to start young but with a long view in mind; avoid too much too soon as small changes over time make a big difference. Begin with a few foundational habits that are important to you, master them and then add more; be gentle but consistent, and inspect what you expect.

Classical Education Books carries a stack of resources to help you with your habit training.

Laying Down the Rails

Teaching Character Through Literature

Manner of the Week Wall Chart

Healthy Happy Habits

Good Manners for Kids

Myself & Others

Mind Your Manners

New Americal Cursive – manners

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Do Mornings Well part 2 appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Our country has so much to celebrate, and this year we are delighted to help you find some of those stories. As one of the largest countries in the world, Canada is incredibly diverse. With its beginnings during the time of the industrial revolution and its infancy through the scientific advances of the modern age, Canada has seen change happen very quickly, and as it was maturing it kept up with the times.

The expansive landmass boasts magnificent mountain ranges, rolling prairies, and frozen tundra. The bounty of this land allows its people to live well by way of its resources, farming, fishing, and more.

Honoring this diversity while keeping unity has not always gone smoothly, or without grave error. We don’t want to tell only those stories that make us feel good. We need to share some of the stories that will help us to understand what it is that went so wrong and caused so much grief and trauma.

The following are some of the stories that we have to share with you. If you have suggestions on what to add to these stories please let us know! You can find all these titles and more on our website under the new category: Canadian Heritage.

Picture Books

These are just a few little books to include in our selections for our very young. These books are about young Canadians, or they take place in a Canadian location.

A Morning to Polish and Keep
A Salmon for Simon
How Summer Came to Canada
Maple Moon
Selina and the Bear Paw Quilt
The Sugaring-Off Party

Historical Fiction

One of the best ways to remember something is to read a story about it. Stories help us to identify with the characters so we can easily find ourselves with feelings that relate to the situation in the story. Literary friends are hard to forget. So here are some suggestions for new friends in Canada’s history.

Discovery and Early Settlements:
Viking Quest
Leif the Lucky
Beyond the Sea of Ice
Despite All Obstacles
Hudson Bay
Madeline Takes Command
The King’s Daughter

Exploration:
The Nor’Wester

Upper Canada Rebellion:
Flight
Meyers’ Rebellion
Meyers’ Creek (coming soon)

Lower Canada Rebellion:
Sophie’s Rebellion
Sophie’s Treason
Sophie’s Exile

War of 1812:
The Bully Boys
With Wolfe in Canada

Underground Railway
Elijah of Buxton
Underground to Canada

Please share your favorites with us!

Historical Non-Fiction

Old diaries and journals can be more interesting than fiction sometimes. Here are some of our suggestions for great reads using some original texts:

Champlain’s Dream
Jean de Brébeuf
Life in Acadia
Mrs. Simcoe’s Diary
The Firebrand
Otherwise
Curve of Time

Literature

Have you ever felt the thrill of reading a story and recognizing the landmarks it was referring to as those in your neighborhood? Something stirs in us to read a story in this place, not just a place. So here are our favorite stories set in Canada.

Anne of Green Gables – (Or catch the whole series here)
Canadian Summer: The Mitchells – Vol 2 (The first volume does not take place in Canada.)
Friendly Gables: The Mitchells – Vol 3
Owls in the Family
Lost in the Barrens
The Curse of the Viking Grave
Shadows On the Rock
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be

Canadian Fairy Tales
Canadian Wonder Tales
Evangeline

Of course, we have the perfect book for your Morning Basket that covers a wonderful selection of Canadian literature, poetry, and folk song: The Spirit of Canada.

Authors

Canada has boasted some great writers, and we are excited to be featuring some of them on our website. Here are just a few:

Lucy Maud Montgomery

L.M. is best known for her series Anne of Green Gables. But she didn’t stop there. She published prolifically and wrote stories about everyday life that were filled with wonder and romance. Her stories take place in Prince Edward Island and mildly echo her own childhood story. We recommend all of her books as literary delights, but also as a way to enjoy stories from our place, our country.

Farley Mowat

Mowat is known the world over as an excellent writer. Some of his works of fiction are autobiographical, and all of his fiction is motivated by his activist inspiration. But it’s not just his stories that are Canadian. He was a man of this country, aware of its dangers, disasters, and dilemmas and he actively worked to make life better for Canadians. It’s no surprise that his most effective tool was his stories.

Connie Brummel Crook

Connie lives in Ontario as a retired teacher. It was when she was teaching ninth grade that she realized that there had to be a better way to teach history. She began to do extensive research on subjects that she had to teach, and the result was captivating stories. My favorite story, Laura’s Choice, is no longer in print. When I told Connie about it, she reminisced on how she had traversed that very walk that Laura had taken in the dark. Connie’s books are some of the best Canadian histories for the classroom. But then, that’s the reason why she wrote.

Stephan Leacock

Leacock is one of the more obscure Canadian authors, but that is not because he couldn’t write. As an economist, humorist, historian, and political scientist, he offers a variety in his writings that every Canadian student needs to enjoy. His fictitious works are important to understanding small-town Canada. Leacock’s writings can communicate more than usual because he uses humor. That literary device can help us to understand even the most complex.

by Hester VanBraeden

The post Happy Birthday, Canada! appeared first on Classical Education Books.

Summer had a certain “feel” growing up; it started with that walk home on the last day of school. Two months seemed endless and I welcomed, even as a kid, the change of pace. Bedtime was later, sleeping in was the norm, mornings were lazy, and we spent huge amounts of time outside. I still welcome the change of pace that summer brings, but I’m not a fan of taking two entire months off from routine and productivity. Instead, I like to use the summer to do all I can to make life easier through the upcoming school year, to get things done that I struggle to get to, and to enjoy a change of pace.

Today I’m sharing Seven Summer Suggestions for homeschoolers. I hope the warmer months bring a sweet balance of sleeping in, productivity, and a few extra lazy mornings.

Summer Suggestion #1 – Plan but not too much!

The days so easily slip into weeks, then months, and before you know it summer is over, and you’ve accomplished little. I like to create a summer wish list in June to give myself vision and structure for the coming weeks. My list contains all kinds of things: new recipes to try, places to visit, people to see, books to read, and tasks to complete. It’s important to be realistic, perhaps quite conservative regarding what you plan to accomplish. Remember, you want structure, not stress.

One of the items on my list is to organize weekly science experiments. My children enjoy science experiments but they are just one of those things that I struggle to find time for during the regular school year. Classical Education Books carries several science experiment resources; here is the one I have my eyes on for this summer.

Big Book of Science Experiments

If your school year is typically full of science experiments and activities then this resource probably isn’t for you. Maybe these easy reading resources would be a better match for some light summer learning.

Astronomy

The Periodic Table

Biology

Physics

Planet Earth

Engineering

Chemistry

Summer Suggestion #2 – Training

The summer months make great training months. Take the time to make a list of chores you hope to see your children doing as part of their daily routine when fall rolls around and take the summer to train them. You’ll be grateful once the busyness rolls around that your children know how to put dishes away, switch a load of laundry and make a simple meal.

Sometimes the focus needs to be on training character & behavior. The low-pressure season of summer provides a great opportunity for assessment and strategy. Teaching Character Through Literature is a great resource to use as you come alongside and train your children.

Summer Suggestion #3 – Win (most) Mornings

I like to indulge in the later evenings and mornings that summer affords but not for weeks on end. I prefer not to unravel our morning routine completely so this summer my plan is to treat every weekend as a long weekend and then set my family up to follow a routine during the rest of the week: regular bedtimes, waking times, and chores along with a morning learning time.

Our Morning Basket or Morning Learning Time always includes a selection of picture books…summer-themed of course.

The Little Island

One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab

Kermit the Hermit

Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears

Lucy’s Summer

Amos & Boris

My Shadow

The Storm Book

Roxaboxen

Blueberries for Sal

Summer Suggestion #4 – Learn Something New and Review

Sadly, all kinds of learning are pushed to the side during the regular school year. Summer is a great time to check off those extra-curricular boxes and this summer I’ve got my eye on “Art in a Box”.

Summer is also a great time to fill in gaps or master some learning that was a bit wobbly through the year like multiplication or penmanship. Take the time to discern what truly needs work; don’t take it all on. Remember, structure, not stress. This Summer Cursive workbook is a great way to get in a little extra practice before the year starts. It will make the school year better if this skill becomes effortless.

Summer Suggestion #5 – Get Organized

Although, I’ve had to adjust my standards over the years, starting the fall with everything in its place is important to me. I enjoy the process and admit that it comes naturally to me; I’m fortunate that way. We all have to outsource at times so maybe hiring an organizer is something you should consider.

Following is a list of organizational project ideas:

• Room by Room Organizing and Deep Cleaning
• Organize Recipes & Fall Meal Planning
• Digital Organizing (photos, files, email)
• Homeschool Supplies & Resources
• Closets & Clothing Inventory
• Christmas Planning
• Garage & Shed
• Deep Clean Vehicles
• Set up/Organize Emergency Supplies
• Plan, Organize and Shop for Birthdays

Summer Suggestion #6 – Build Habits with Habit Stacking

Habit Stacking is simple and summer is the time to introduce this concept. Pick a habit that you want to incorporate into your daily routine and attach it to an existing habit. That’s it! Do you forget to take your supplements each day but remember to brush your teeth? Put the supplement bottle in your toothbrush drawer. Do you have a child that has finally mastered making their bed every morning but forgets to put their pajamas away? Work on attaching the desired habit to the existing habit. It’s not enough to just discuss this idea unless you have a house full of self-starters. You’ll need to commit to inspecting what you expect.

Summer Suggestion #7 – Stock up on Summer Resources

Summer boredom inevitably creeps in at times. It’s a good idea to allow children to figure out solutions to their boredom but I do enjoy having a few things on hand to help things along. These boredom buster resources are great to have on hand. Pre-buying the supplies and having them tucked away is the way to go.

Lighthouses of the World

Let’s Explore Sea Animals

My First Book About the Oceans

Simply Classical Crafts – book 1

Simply Classical Crafts – book 2

Everyone here at Classical Education Books hopes you have a wonderful summer. We are around if you need anything.

by Adrianne Curwen

Adrianne is a wife to a public-school educator/administrator and a homeschooling Mama to seven children, ranging in age from 7 to 23. She believes that we have a unique opportunity as homeschoolers to design individualized education that suits giftings, interests, and passions. She and her husband have used a blend of registered homeschooling, enrolment with independent DL schools, and participation in public trade school programs to design individualized programs for their children.  She is passionate about using as many read-alouds, picture books, novels, and conversations to educate her children but also gets excited by the amazing homeschool-designed curriculum that’s out there.  Adrianne is thrilled by her new role as Communication Specialist for Classical Education Books and is grateful to have an opportunity to learn something new.  She is grateful, every day, for her saviour, Jesus Christ, and has no greater joy than when she sees her most important missions field walk with Him.

The post Summer Strategies for Homeschoolers appeared first on Classical Education Books.

My name is Sarah Mast and I homeschool my two kids in Ft. Langley, BC. One of my favorite aspects of homeschooling is the community gained, and I  volunteer with a local support group to help foster that and connect others. My family loves the outdoors and traveling, and our weekends include skiing, swimming, hiking, or biking depending on the season. I found Classical Education Books at a conference and noticed their well-curated selection of children’s books. I kept tabs on their collection of the classics and hard-to-find books and reached out. Now I get to help customers hone their collections, and work on the ever-growing inventory here at CEB!

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