The homeschool diploma question generates more anxiety than almost any other credential topic in home education — and most of that anxiety is based on misunderstandings that are easy to correct with accurate information. The core fear is that a diploma issued by a parent will be seen as a lesser credential, one that closes … Read more
Spelling is one of the most taught and least understood subjects in elementary education. Most adults who went through traditional schooling remember weekly spelling lists, Friday tests, and a cycle that produced test scores without necessarily producing spellers — the words learned for Friday’s test vanished by the following Wednesday. If the weekly list approach … Read more
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information only and is not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Twice-exceptionality presents in highly individual ways. Always work with your child’s neuropsychologist, educational psychologist, therapist, and other qualified professionals when making decisions about evaluation, identification, and educational approaches specific to your child. Twice-exceptional — abbreviated 2e — describes children … Read more
Critical thinking is one of those educational goals that nearly everyone endorses and very few people define clearly enough to teach deliberately. Every school mission statement includes it; relatively few classroom practices develop it systematically. Homeschooling offers a genuine opportunity to do better — not because critical thinking is uniquely suited to home education, but … Read more
Every homeschool parent encounters resistance. A child who drags their feet on a particular subject, who disappears when math books appear, who suddenly needs water and a bathroom break and to ask about dinner the moment school starts — this is ordinary homeschool experience, not a crisis. But some families face something more persistent and … Read more
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Compulsory attendance laws and homeschool oversight requirements vary significantly by state and are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with your state’s department of education, a state homeschool organization, or a qualified legal professional before making decisions based on … Read more
The comparison between homeschooling and private school is one that families in a specific situation face — usually families who have already decided that public school isn’t working or isn’t the right fit, and who are now weighing two meaningful alternatives that both involve significant commitment and, in the case of private school, significant cost. … Read more
Reading comprehension is the point of reading — not the decoding of letters into sounds, not the sounding out of words, but the understanding of meaning, the building of mental models from text, and the ability to think with what has been read. And yet reading comprehension is the dimension of reading instruction that receives … Read more
Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information only and is not medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. Executive function difficulties present differently in every child and may be associated with a range of underlying conditions. Always work with your child’s neuropsychologist, psychologist, occupational therapist, and other qualified professionals when making decisions about evaluation, diagnosis, and support … Read more
Field trips occupy an interesting place in homeschooling. For many families they’re a highlight — one of the genuine pleasures of homeschooling’s flexibility, the ability to visit a museum on a Tuesday when the crowds are small, to follow a child’s question about medieval architecture to an actual castle, or to turn a nature walk … Read more