Teaching to a child’s interest

Everyone, especially children, learn best when they are learning about something that they love.  I always focus on how a subject will help the student achieve their goals if the student is older, but for younger students, I just go with whatever they love at the moment and make my lessons match, regardless of how…

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Toddlers who like Shakespeare

When people ask me how do I get my children and students to like Shakespeare, I tell them to start early.  I start “playing” with this author when my children are toddlers – and even sooner now they have an excellent books for babies such as the Baby Lit Series by Jennifer Adams, including the…

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Quick and easy Christmas craft project

Are your children looking for something fun to do with you but you JUST DON’T HAVE TIME!?!  I know it is crazy in my house right now with all that I like to do before the holidays.  But that doesn’t mean my toddler doesn’t want to do something creative and fun with me.  However, here’s…

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Teens who like Shakespeare and Grammar?!? What is this nonsense?

Most people I know, besides a select few like me, think that grammar is stupid and boring to learn.  Especially teens and pre-teens.  This can certainly be a super dry and boring subject.  However, I have found a way to make even teenage boys enjoy it.  Ok – maybe not ENJOY it but don’t complain…

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How Technology is Ruining Your Children

How much time do your children REALLY spend with their phone, video games, tablets, and computers?   Are those devices more of a parent to your children then you are?  The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limited screen time to 1-2 hours total per day.  However, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation in…

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Why Learn Latin?

I love getting students to enjoy Latin!  It is one of my favorite subjects to teach.  However, I ALWAYS get people who say to me, “Why Learn Latin? No one speaks it!”  That is true, Latin isn’t the native language of any group of people now.  However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the…

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Stop TRYING! You are not doing it anyway!

Stop TRYING! One thing that I can’t stand to hear from any one, regardless if it is an adult or child, is that they are “Trying”. As Yoda says, “No! Try not. There is no TRY.  There is do or do not.” When you say you are “trying”, that gives you an easy out.  If…

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The worst stuff about being a home schooling family

I have been homeschooling my own children for over 15 years now as well as helping hundreds of families on their educational journey.  Before I start on this post, let me say that I LOVE home schooling and would never choose anything else for my family.  However, that doesn’t mean that there are not days…

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5 Easy Ways to Prevent Summer Slide

Summer slide occurs to students every year who don’t do anything over the summer to help retain the information they learned during the school year.  On average, an American student loses 2 months of their education EACH AND EVERY SUMMER, putting them far behind students who review and even spend their summers learning new concepts…

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