Memory work: the very name conjures up images of 19th-century schoolchildren hunched over their lesson books, or perhaps Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock, engrossed in his mind palace. But memorization is essential to learning. In fact, some scholars have defined learning as “an alteration in long-term memory,” and this makes intuitive sense. If you can’t remember…
As the author of an elementary Latin program, I’m often asked to weigh in on the merits of various Latin curricula. Many of the parents who ask for my advice have never studied Latin or any other classical language themselves. They get the idea that they should—or even that they must—teach the language from popular homeschooling…
I’ll admit it: I don’t love the four-year history cycle. With all due respect to homeschoolers for whom it is the organizing principle of, well, everything, it just doesn’t work for me. So what do I recommend instead? My preferred approach makes more room for the study of geography and civics. It also makes space…
As I write this, many homeschoolers are in the throes of planning for the new school year. I have watched on social media as parents have shared photos of towering book piles and the complicated systems they use to keep track of their curriculum choices. While I am in awe of their dedication and the…
Don’t you just love a good lit-based curriculum? What could be more thrilling to the heart of a homeschooling parent than the promise of snuggling on the couch, reading all those beautiful books with your children? Imagine teaching not just literature but also history, science, and even math through engaging narratives rather than boring, dry…
I’ve always chuckled at the bumper sticker that reads “Not all who wander are lost.” It’s a quote from one of my favorite authors, J. R. R. Tolkien, and that in itself makes me smile. But seeing it plastered on the back of a car reminds me that it’s probably not the best idea to…
I get it. You want to give your child the very best education, but you’re overwhelmed. There are so many moving parts: phonics, math, science, history, and on and on. It’s hard to keep all the different methods in order. How are you going to do it all? You don’t have to. At least, not…
Why, in the age of Google, would we want our children to commit facts to memory? Why can’t they just look them up when they need them? The short answer is that students don’t know what they don’t know. Without some prior knowledge, they won’t even know what keywords might yield meaningful search engine results.…
