Maturing in independent learning is one of my goals for Sprite’s middle school years. I have found that keeping my list of broad goals right in the front of my Mom Notebook keeps me focused on making opportunities for them in the weekly lesson plans. As amazing as it is, it is far too easy […]
Middle School Goal Setting
I’m looking towards wrapping up sixth grade. With weekly planner pages and yearly calendars in front of me, I sketched out some direction for the next few months so that we can take all of July off. Of course, those plans are in pencil. But I always feel more prepared to have plans rather than […]
Using Humor to Diffuse a Bad Attitude
I’ve got a tween. And that means that attitude issues crop up more commonly than in other stages. I love Jamie’s creative Tips for Creating a “Bad” Homeschool Day Routine where she tackles what to do on those days that could easily erupt into full-blown crisis mode. One suggestion she didn’t mention (but I’m sure […]
What Your Middle Schooler Wants You to Know
The tween and teen years are hard. Even at forty years old, I can recall the continual self-doubt, the mirror peeking, the obsession over performance, and the conflicting emotions of those transitional years. It’s hard all over again as the parent of a tween to see my daughter struggle through this stage. Visit my latest post at […]
Teaching Note Taking Skills
I’ve been introducing Sprite to taking notes. Of course, I don’t lecture. But note taking is still an important academic skill. My primary goal is to help her capture the main ideas for narration later. When a passage is detailed or long, taking notes becomes necessary. Otherwise it’s easy to forget or get things mixed […]