Category: Curriculum
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What is ADD?
In this post, I’d like to discuss the question, “What is ADD?” We are of course talking about Attention Deficit Disorder. We could extend it to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as well. The two conditions are closely related. This is the first of two posts on the topic, however, for next week I plan…
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Handwriting Notes vs Typing Notes
Homeschoolers have the luxury of choosing to handwrite or type notes on lessons they are doing. Yet, what are the pros and cons and handwriting notes vs typing notes? While technology may afford us some benefits, what is lost in the process? Handwriting for Developing the Brain and Will When I taught at the Asheville…
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The Inspiration of Youth
What is required for the inspiration of youth? Today more than ever, the youth seem lost in a crisis of meaning. They waste away in an ocean of never ending social media scrolling. They listen to music that, compared with the peace and of Woodstock 1969, sounds full of pain and depression. More of them…
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Taking Refuge in The Good, The True, and The Beautiful
Yesterday, I had a golden moment with my students in a 5th Grade Live Decimals Enrichment Block. The Good, the True, and the Beautiful rang forth from the lesson, and it touched me deeply that I felt I should share it with you. Upon reflecting later that evening, I realized these moments can become a…
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Does Homeschooling Affect Social Skills?
Does homeschooling affect social skills? I often hear critics of homeschooling levy this question as a complaint. They wonder how children and youth can develop these social and emotional skills so necessary for success later in life who don’t spend the majority of their days around groups of their peers. It’s a legitimate question, and…
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How to Take Notes
In this post, I want to discuss ways to take notes. This is an important skill starting in middle school. It is certainly needed going into high school and beyond. In this article, I will discuss reasons why note taking is important and why notes should be handwritten. Let’s begin with the latter. Why Take…
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Winter or Advent Spiral
This week, I wanted to write a post about making winter holidays meaningful, especially for adolescents and teens. I will focus on the Winter or Advent Spiral, commonly done in Waldorf settings. The principles, however, are broadly applicable to other traditions as well, so extrapolate as necessary. The Difference Between Children and Adolescents At puberty,…
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What is Waldorf Education?
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by
In order to answer the question, “What is Waldorf Education?” we have first to answer a more fundamental question, “What is a human being?” Well, what IS a human being? What do you say to that? Stop and consider your answer. I recently elaborated my answer in the following clip: A human is a threefold…
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Civic Education in Homeschool
In the wake of this 2024 U.S. presidential election, I feel called to write a post about civic education. We have a deeply polarized nation, and that’s not good. For the record I must say that as a teacher, it’s not my place to take sides. Rather, it’s my job to preserve the sacred balance…
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Middle School Creative Writing and Derek Jeter
You might be wondering what Derek Jeter has to do with middle school creative writing. I’ll start by saying that our task as educators is to bring the world to our students. Derek Jeter is not only a Hall of Famer, he’s also a model human being and a perfect example of how dreams come…