Everyday Educator

Calling all families with questions about "dual enrollment" and the Challenge program! You need to listen to this week's episode, as Daniel Shirley shares with Lisa the details of CC Plus and all its benefits for families. Daniel offers counsel for assessing a student's readiness for concurrent enrollment, as well as ideas on how to get started with registration. Whether you're thinking about starting this fall or fall of 2030, we'll give you good things to consider! At Classical Conversations®, we believe that education is the responsibility of the family, with support from fellow believers. The Classical Learning Cohorts meet regularly online to practice the tools of learning with discussion, presentations, and assessment. Join the conversation at classicalconversations.com/cohort.

Take your family on a "road trip" this summer, between the pages of a book—or two! Reading opens doors to strange new lands and wonderfully amazing experiences. Reading together opens up worlds of possibilities for great conversations with those we love the most. Our last Summer Book Club of the year shares stories from Africa. Copper Lodge Library offers a collection of stories presented in a beautiful series of books for the whole family to enjoy. Build a family culture by reading these stories together and have meaningful conversations about wisdom and virtue. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at https://copperlodgelibrary.com/

Reading can magically transport us to faraway places, introduce us to new people, and teach us new skills. Reading is also a gateway to great conversations and exciting explorations. In this week's episode, Lisa shares three stories from Exploring Insects with Uncle Paul and provides some great conversation starters and ideas for further family explorations. Don't miss it! (It's also a great read aloud moment for your kids!) New to the Copper Lodge Library this year is English Epic Poetry, a collection with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and selections from Canterbury Tales and Paradise Lost. Build a family culture by reading these stories together and have meaningful conversations about wisdom and virtue. Even in the less overtly religious poems of Sir Gawain and Canterbury Tales, readers find Christian themes like courage, forgiveness, and right use of power. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at https://copperlodgelibrary.com/

Do you need some suggestions for helping busy kids slow down long enough to enjoy read aloud time? Here's an idea: stay active! There are lots of ways to enjoy a good story while you move. Listen in this week as Lisa shows you how as she reads 3 more stories from Kings of Rome. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

Settle back and spend some time chasing your imagination this summer-pick up a book! Reading as a family draws us together and gives us something to savor. Listen in this week as Lisa shares some stories from the Cycle 1 resource Ancient World Echoes. She'll also offer some great tips on how to make the stories stay alive after the reading ends. At Classical Conversations®, we believe that parents can provide quality education for their children. Yet, parents often feel unsure of how to accomplish this goal. Our Classical Learning Cohort program can help! Grow as the Lead Learner in your homeschool at classicalconversations.com/cohort

How do you feel about…spiders?? In Week 2 of our Summer Book Club, Lisa shares more tips on reading as a family, and offers more ideas for generating conversation and activity after you read. Exploring Insects with Uncle Paul is our focus, and you'll love this introduction to the Copper Lodge Library selection that has a distinct Cycle 1 connection. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

Looking for some refreshment this summer? Spend a little time reading aloud together as a family! Listen in this week as Lisa shares three big benefits of reading as a family. Bonus? Lisa reads aloud three stories from the Copper Lodge Library's Kings of Rome series (a perfect lead in to Cycle 1!!), AND offers some conversation tips for diving deeper into the story.

Want to raise readers? Surround your family with books! This week's guest, Jennifer Courtney, offers simple ideas on how to whet your family's appetite for reading. Listen for suggestions on how to build a family library as well as ideas on Cycle 1 "resources" to collect for next year. CC parents, tutors, and Directors – are you looking to level up your skills in guiding and assessing your student's learning at home or in community? Join this Spring semester's Classical Learning Cohort! https://classicalconversations.com/cohort/

Everybody enjoys knowing the "inside story" of familiar things; listen in this week and discover the behind-the-scenes workings of CC's Copper Lodge Library. You'll meet the editor, find out how those footnotes were created, and get a glimpse into what's available for your family. Listen in as Lisa and Stephanie Meter discuss libraries (public and personal) and why reading as a family brings us together. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

Are you amazed by what your Foundations students memorize every year? Do you wonder if you could "do it too??" On this episode of Everyday Educator Kelli Wilt and Elise DeYoung offer tips and tricks for memorizing, gleaned from rubbing shoulders with National Memory Masters. Not ready for a "competition"? Listen for tips on making memory work a joy from mommas with years of learning-as-a-family experience! More information about Great Wolf Lodge and Exclusive CC Discount Code found in the CC Connected Learning Center > Member Benefits and Additional Resources Document. https://www.greatwolf.com/

Join guest host Kelli Wilt as she welcomes and celebrates CC's 2024 National Memory Master, Ewan Fisher. Ewan and his mom, Kim, join Kelli and share their family's story of life in CC, the pursuit of the Memory Master title, and how the family has been blessed by Ewan's goal. You'll get plenty of inspiration to learn as a family as you listen.

If you've ever wondered about the "Plus" of CC Plus, this week's episode of the Everyday Educator will answer your questions. Listen in as Daniel Shirley, Undergraduate Program Manager for CC Plus, shares from experience the beauty and benefit of this fine program. And, you might be as surprised as Lisa was to find that CC Plus isn't just for Challenge students anymore! Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

Guess what? Scribblers At Home won the Illuminations Gold Award! Maybe you haven't heard much about Scribblers, or maybe you thought it wasn't really for your family. Listen in as Amy Jones helps us see that Scribblers isn't just an "on ramp" for young homeschoolers, it's an "ongoing ramp" for all of us! You'll be interested to hear how families of all ages are using this resource, and how your family might find it's just what you're looking for also. You're invited to our 2024 National Events Weekend in sunny Southern Pines, North Carolina! Register at https://classicalconversationsfoundation.org/.

Foundations parents, are you interested in knowing more about Memory Masters and National Memory Masters? Listen in as Kelli Wilt and Elise DeYoung give Lisa all the information. You'll find out more than how to, though…You will hear how these "competitions" are actually about celebrating students and families. I think you'll be inspired to see memorizing in a new way… Make April 26 a Family Day at theater! #UnsungHeroMovie opens everywhere beginning April 26. From the creators of Jesus Revolution comes Unsung Hero. Tickets on sale now. Visit https://tickets.unsunghero.movie/.

If you want all the information on Practicum 2024, listen to Part 2 of the conversation between Jill Philbrick and Lisa Bailey. You'll discover how to discover God in math, how to model the skills of learning math for your kids, how to become part of the "greater conversation", and how to redeem your own education in ways you might not imagine. Exploring The Math Map in community will be an investment that pays dividends! Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

Why go to Practicum? Will you really learn anything "practical"? Listen as Lisa and Jill Philbrick answer this question and give you some enticing reasons to register for the 2024 Practicum. You'll be encouraged by Jill's testimony and intrigued by our 2024 topic as well! You're invited to our 2024 National Events Weekend in sunny Southern Pines, North Carolina! Register at https://classicalconversationsfoundation.org/.

So, what does homeschooling look like when Community Days are done for the year? Do you wonder what you should/could/will do? Listen in as Amy Jones and Lisa talk about what God has for us as we move into a slower-paced season. This episode offers encouragement for your heart and practical suggestions for your days! Classical Conversations® is constantly striving to build relationships with like-minded organizations to assist families in their homeschooling journey and in furthering our mission to know God and to make Him known. Visit https://classicalconversations.com/relationships/ for more information.

Have you struggled with end of the year assessments in the past, wondering what good they do and how to go about them? Have you wondered what assessment and celebration have in common?? Listen in as Lisa and guest Jill Philbrick discuss the importance of celebration (It's biblical!) and share some great ways to celebrate as a family and community all that the Lord has done in the year past. Learn more about the IAC at https://associationforcreation.org/. To find your exclusive CC Discount code go to CC Connected> Learning Center> CC Members Beneftis.

As we enter this season of finishing and ending (Faces of History, Mock Trial, Graduation!) your family is likely looking for ways to celebrate the accomplishments of the year. This week, guest Kelli Wilt and host Lisa Bailey encourage you to celebrate "classically" as your festivities begin. How can you nurture a spirit of joyful remembrance? How might this season of celebration prepare you for heaven?? Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at https://copperlodgelibrary.com/

You may have heard about The Math Map, but do you "get it"? Do you know what's so different, why you should use it, and how it could change math experiences for your family? If you'd like to find these answers and more, listen to Leigh Bortins cast her vision for The Math Map on this week's episode. Included are personal stories, practical tips, and plenty of encouragement. Are you looking to become a better "everyday educator"? Join other homeschool parents in your area at a 2024 Practicum event! https://ccpracticum.com/

For families living the last days of their homeschool journey, and families contemplating moving on before finishing that last challenge, this one's for you! Listen in as Brittany Lewis, long-time Challenge director and lover of students, shares how vital and beautiful that "last leg of the climb" can be. You'll hear insights on the benefits of Challenge IV and some details about the Senior Thesis as well. · CC parents, tutors, and Directors – are you looking to level up your skills in guiding and assessing your student's learning at home or in community? Join this Spring semester's Classical Learning Cohort! https://classicalconversations.com/cohort/

Some families love it, some worry about it…Mock Trial is always discussion worthy! How can parents help their students make the most of the Mock Trial experience? What can parents do to help? Listen in as Stephanie Meter, long-time Mock Trial-lover and Challenge B tutor, outlines how students benefit from their participation, and how Mock Trial is very much the synthesis of Challenge B learning. You will be inspired!

Are you looking for a good family movie that will encourage deep conversation with your family? Sam Sorbo's latest movie "Miracle in East Texas" will fit the bill! A "tall tale based on an absolutely true story", the movie is full of rich characters, wrestlings with truth, and a redeeming end. You'll love hearing the behind the scenes reasons to love it, too. Listen in, then go stream the movie with your family. Download the free discussion guides now at https://www.sorbostudios.com/miracle-in-east-texas/downloads/homeschool-packet

"Children know, need, and love the truth", so says film star, writer, and lecturer Sam Sorbo. Listen in as Sam shares her reasons for "emancipating" her children from the modern education system. In Part 1 of this 2-part podcast, Lisa and Sam discuss the whys and hows of homeschooling. You'll love hearing her heart for her family, and her heart for helping you love your family in the best ways! Download the free discussion guides now at https://www.sorbostudios.com/miracle-in-east-texas/downloads/homeschool-packet

Homeschooling parents: you homeschool to give your children a most excellent education, right? But what does teaching children—your own and others—teach YOU? Listen as guest Cynthia Knotts, veteran CC mom and tutor, shares the surprising benefits of tutoring on her family. If you've ever considered becoming a tutor, Cynthia's insights may just tip the scale. The Copper Lodge Library series from Classical Conversations® preserves history's best stories for future generations. View the library on ClassicalConversationsBooks.com.

Have you started your Faces of History project yet? Are you excited? Worried? Confused? Listen in as today's guest, Courtney Bradshaw, gives a great synopsis of this project. You'll discover the why, the how, and the what else of FOH and be encouraged while you make notes! Classical Conversations® Relationships: Exclusive Discounts for CC Members!

Are the doldrums of January getting you down? Jazz up January by instituting a "January Term" in your homeschool! Listen in this week as Lisa and guest Amy Jones talk about the refreshment that comes when you take a week or two to learn something new together. Full of super-practical suggestions, this episode is one of my favorites because it reminds us to be real about our struggles and to enjoy the journey we're on.

Could it really be THAT easy? Is the key to success…small habits? Listen in this week as veteran homeschoolers Lisa Bailey and Kelli Wilt ponder the power of routine to activate productivity and achieve success. What small habits can you begin now that will strengthen your family and position you all for a more peaceful life?

As we all prepare for the new semester, it is natural to look back on the fall and determine: What didn't go so well? What should I change? How can we "do better"? These frank questions have value, but only alongside another assessment: What went WELL? How did we grow in non-academic ways? Listen as guest Brittany Lewis shares some wonderful insights and encouragements!

The holidays—thrilling, frantic, moving, and full—have come and gone…and maybe they've left you strangely unmotivated to begin the school routine again. What's up with that, and how do we all keep going? Listen in as Lisa and guest Jennifer Courtney acknowledge the January blahs AND offer insights to ease you into and through the transition back to your "real life"!

The final installment of the Simplify Advent series shares some easy ways to serve as a family; listen in as Jamie Hays and Lisa reminisce about serving opportunities when they were children and as they give some inspired suggestions for serving as a family now. How can your family bless others this Christmas?

Looking for some fresh ideas for celebrating in simply ways this Advent season? Amy Jones and Lisa discuss how to explore together as a family, chasing your child's curiosity and finding deeper meaning in the Christmas story. You'll gain some good ideas for family fun, and hear some personal memories from the Jones and Bailey families!

This week's Simplify Advent podcast centers around reading together. Listen as veteran homeschool dad and ardent reader Tim Knotts shares some great ideas for Advent family reading. Tim and Lisa offer some great hows and whys of family reading, as well as some specific ideas on the what!

Families searching for ways to celebrate Advent without becoming crazy or crazy busy: Everyday Educator has some suggestions! Listen each Tuesday for ideas on using the Scribblers verbs of Pray, Play, Read, Explore, and Serve as encouragements to celebrate simply and celebrate together. This episode features Kelli Wilt and Lisa sharing ideas on Playing Together as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Looking for some ways to simplify your Christmas celebrations this year? Listen every Tuesday in December to Everyday Educator's Simplify Advent podcasts; we'll be discussing ways to deepen our celebration of Jesus's birth as families. You'll hear some great ideas and enjoy some sweet fellowship and encouragement. This week is about how praying together can lead us to profound celebration of God's greatest gift.

What's Thanksgiving about for your family? How to you celebrate? WHAT do you celebrate? This episode of The Everyday Educator might give you some new ideas… Listen with the whole family, as you travel or as you prepare the feast and maybe give thanks in a new way this year.

Wish you could talk to an experienced homeschooler, just to ask a few questions? Wondering if your thoughts, reactions, and questions are "normal"? Join Lisa and her guest Melissa Ellison for this week's episode and you'll hear the truth from a couple of veterans. Answers for your mind, encouragement for your heart!

Wish you could talk to an experienced homeschooler, just to ask a few questions? Wondering if your thoughts, reactions, and questions are "normal"? Join Lisa and her guest Melissa Ellison for this week's episode and you'll hear the truth from a couple of veterans. Answers for your mind, encouragement for your heart!

Why would families with OLDER students want Scribblers? Just ask some who have tried it out! Scribblers helps families chart the course for homeschooling, but it also helps create a family culture of learning that lasts. Parents are discovering that the charts make explaining ideas (even to Challenge students) easier, and the activities draw families together in play with has intention. Listen as KatieBeth and Lisa finish their conversation about learning as a family.

Whether you're considering the possibility of homeschooling or wondering how to add some zest to what you're already doing, this episode of the Everyday Educator is for you. Join Lisa and guest KatieBeth Pierson as they discuss lessons learned along their way and give some very practical ideas on resources and ideas that will transform your family learning.

Whether your family reads together already, or you're looking for good ideas on how to develop that habit, this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast is for you. Listen as guest Brittany Lewis gives us some great insights on why to read together, what material to try, and how to get started. Best of all, there is hope for turning reluctant readers into family readers. You'll be blessed by the listening!

What happens when homeschooling is over? How does your relationship with your kids change? How are YOU changed by homeschooling? Listen in as David Bailey, a dad to two "grown-up girls" who were homeschooled all the way through, shares his thoughts on homeschooling…and beyond!

If you've been considering writing out your family's mission statement—or wondering if you need one—this week's Everyday Educator episode is for you. Host Lisa and guest Kelli Wilt come clean about their lack of such a statement in the early years but share some excellent reasons to have one now! Full of wise counsel, practical tips, and honest reflections these ladies will bless your day!

Homeschooling...it's not just for your kids! Have you ever thought about homeschooling as the beginning of educating yourself? If you have questions about "educating yourself", this episode of EE is for you. Guest Heatherly Sylvia, a passionate lifelong learner, will inspire you to stay curious, to keep learning, and to see the life of a learner as one that pleases the Lord. Come for practical tips, stay for the encouragement!

God is wooing us to Himself with the wonder and beauty in His world. When we chase the wonder in creation, we draw near to the creator and find what He is waiting for us to discover. Listen this week as guest Amy Jones describes how a classical, Christian community can help your family promote more wonder in your homeschool. And, hear how one of the activities from Scribblers At Home: Recipes from Lifelong Learners can open your family's eyes to wonder in your own backyard.

Classical Conversations believes that classical education prepares us to accept the responsibilities of Christian freedom. What ARE those responsibilities, and how do we as parents prepare our children to accept them? Listen in this week as homeschool mom Charity Brown shares with Lisa some heady thoughts AND some practical tips on raising Godly kids who are ready to be ambassadors for Christ in the world.

Searching for the right schedule to regulate your homeschool days this year? You probably suspect that finding the perfect schedule might be impossible…but finding the right rhythm is exactly what Lisa's guest Jennifer Courtney is ready to discuss! On this week's podcast you'll hear some great suggestions for crafting your family's learning plan, hear a few "non-negotiables" mentioned, and even learn the "Leigh Bortins way" of schooling with multiple kids of different ages and abilities.

It's time to start Foundations; are you ready? Listen in as Courtney Bradshaw, CC Academic Advisor, gives us some tips for getting ready for a fantastic year with our Foundations students. From seeing the big picture to getting your home ready, Courtney has the news that will help you and your children start the Foundations year off right. (She also gives you the insider info on where to go for great downloadable helps and a place to get your questions answered.)

To paraphrase C.S. Lewis, wonder is when Divinity makes its presence known. How can we learn to be better "wonder-ers"? Join host Lisa Bailey as her guest Amy Jones leads us to think about the connection between time, space, questions, and wonder. Here's the good news: Wonder is a skill you can build! Listen, and commit to finding wonder as you go this fall.

What do you want to teach your children while you homeschool—besides reading, writing, and arithmetic? What "life skills" are you determined to pass on—and how compatible is teaching those skills with your classical, Christian education plan? On this episode of the Everyday Educator, guest Stephanie Meter talks to her mom Lisa about what skills she took from homeschooling into adulting. It's an entertaining and eye-opening episode!