Five Common Pitfalls for English Speakers Learning Spanish to Avoid English speakers encounter many pitfalls when they are learning Spanish. Below are five of the most common ones. El día, el problema not la día, la problema The often-repeated phrase ‘no problemo’ is...
The other day a friend asked me why her child needs to study history in middle school. After all, they read history story picture books early on, and they would be taking history classes in high school. Couldn’t they just skip history in the middle school years? You...
If you examine Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution, you will not find the words “Electoral College” anywhere. Rather, you will find the system by which states appoint representatives, or “Electors,” to choose the President of the United States. Each...
As the books and computers are put away and the grades have all been handed out, I am often left with a feeling of worry. What will we do this summer? Will it be a summer filled with TV, computer games, and Xbox? That is the last thing I want; however, sometimes I...
Do you want to improve your ability to comprehend and think deeply about the literature you read? Mark up your book! Many students are encouraged to annotate their texts, but few know how to do this effectively. Commonly, students underline or highlight long sections...
The cuisines of the world bring joy to our taste buds and nourishment to our stomachs. This post is dedicated to the friendships developed through online cuisine and pastry classes. I refer to these relationships as “soul food,” because I am a foodie. Soul food is...
A summer bucket list is something that I’ve never written before, but I have seen it on social media the last few weeks as summer vacation has started for most students. So, as a science teacher, you might be able to guess that my summer bucket list would have several...
One Awesome Educational Hack for a Fabulous Summer Easy plan. Children, avert your eyes. "FREE AT LAST!" … The joyful proclamation as the school year ends. But is that it? No more learning? Time for total educational depravity? What's the deal? Why is summertime so...
Whether you are homeschooling or your public or private school just doesn’t offer this opportunity, your high schooler can take architecture classes online with Excelsior Classes. In Architectural Drafting & Design I & II, students learn to see, think, and...
Learning As We Go In our family, we have two older boys, and then an eight-year gap between our younger son and our daughter. While spending time with my daughter’s friends and their moms, as the “veteran” homeschool mom, I sometimes get questions about...
Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages. ‒ Dave Barry For many years now, homeschooling families have...
I had a powerful exchange with my son when he was four years old, and his words made such an impact on me that I wrote them down after the conversation happened. Son: (looking quite pensive) Mom, when was I born? Me: May third. Son: (with much astonishment and...
