Everyday Educator

Conversations, wonder, art, patterns…does this sound like math time at your home? If not, maybe you'd enjoy math more if you made the switch to The Math Map! If you are wondering about this classical, one-room-schoolhouse approach to math, listen as Curriculum Assistant Babs Harrell gives us an inside look at an amazing new resource: The Math Map. Life is busy! Download audio versions of the articles from the Catalog and listen while you're in the car, working out, or forward an episode to a friend. To listen to articles that will equip and encourage you no matter where you are in your homeschooling journey go to ClassicalConversations.com/Catalog-Articles

Listen in this week as Academic Advisor Emily Martin shares practical tips and wisdom for enjoying the science fair project as a family. What exactly will your student learn? How can you be the best advisor and lead learner for this segment of the Challenge A journey? Don't give up—listen in! Curious about homeschooling? Want to see Classical Conversations in action? Visit an Open House, where you'll interact with parents, students, Tutors, and Directors in a local setting and discover the joy of our community-based approach. Don't miss this opportunity to experience homeschooling in action! Find an Open House near you at https://classicalconversations.com/events/.

When your children are very young, what does homeschooling look like? Is there a schedule? Do I need lesson plans? What curriculum do I use? Parents who want to know how "getting started" should look will love this episode! Amy Jones joins Lisa to share some thoughts worth remembering and some encouragements that will start your journey off on the right foot. Practical ideas shared with love and humor! Curious about homeschooling? Want to see Classical Conversations in action? Visit an Open House, where you'll interact with parents, students, Tutors, and Directors in a local setting and discover the joy of our community-based approach. Don't miss this opportunity to experience homeschooling in action! Find an Open House near you at https://classicalconversations.com/events/

If shepherding your Challenge student through unfamiliar assignments has you scratching your head, this is the podcast for you! Experienced mom and CC director Deborah Switzer joins Lisa to talk about making learning together a blessing. Bonus: get all the inspiration and practical help you need to make the Art Grant Proposal (Challenge II) a favored assignment. Celebrating together! Has your student or community done something noteworthy? We are collecting these stories, accomplishments, and events to celebrate and share the excitement of homeschooling. Please provide as much information as possible to completely tell the story. Share your story at http://www.classicalconversations.com/celebrate-together

What's the best part of a treasure hunt, the prize or the hunt? Listen in as Lisa and guest Jennifer Courtney explore how the best education is the treasure hunt your family makes through God's creation. The simple yet profound process of "echoing in celebration" is explored, and the catechesis wheel comes to life as these experienced homeschool moms recall some lessons that shaped their understanding. Blog post to check out! https://classicalconversations.com/blog/catechesis-wheel/ Discover the clarity you need to make the best decision for your family's educational needs at one of our Information Meetings. Connect with experienced CC parents, learn about our unique classical, Christian programs, and find out if attending an Open House is your next step. Take control of your homeschooling journey by attending an Information Meeting. Find an Info Meeting near you at https://classicalconversations.com/events/.

Reading, 'Riting, "Rithmetic…we all know we want our kids to know the basics. But surely that's not all, and certainly those aren't the most important "basics"! Listen to some thoughts from veteran homeschool moms Brittany Lewis and Kelli Wilt as they talk to Lisa about planting the seeds of some more important fruits of knowledge. Mark your calendar for the 2025 National Commencement, May 16-17, 2025, in sunny Southern Pines, North Carolina! This is a time for Classical Conversations families from around the nation to celebrate the hard work with fellow families on the homeschooling journey. Register at https://classicalconversationsfoundation.org/

For parents with multiple kids, homeschooling can feel like a juggling act! How can we make the ideal of the one-room schoolhouse come alive at our houses?? This week's guest, Denise McLain, offers encouragement and practical tips for larger families who want to learn together. Bonus: hear how The Math Map has revitalized her family's math education! Curious about homeschooling? Want to see Classical Conversations in action? Visit an Open House, where you'll interact with parents, students, Tutors, and Directors in a local setting and discover the joy of our community-based approach. Don't miss this opportunity to experience homeschooling in action! Find an Open House near you at https://classicalconversations.com/events/.

It's the ultimate crossover episode . . . Delise and Ginny are joined by CC legend and host of the Everyday Educator podcast Lisa Bailey! Lisa recently became a grandmother, so in this conversation, she chats about parenting versus grandparenting. As a parent, she was often so focused on doing everything right that she missed out on opportunities to enjoy the small, simple moments of her children just growing up. But now, as she is blessed with the chance to relive those moments with her grandson, she can be more present and treasure every minute. Of course, with the much-anticipated release of Scribblers at Home: Recipes from Lifelong Learning, Lisa also talks about her involvement in creating this new Classical Conversations® resource and what it really means to play intentionally with our children. Finally, she shares some practical tips for setting boundaries as a parent and emphasizes the importance of asking our children questions instead of rushing in to give them the answers. As you listen, we hope Lisa's wisdom and joy shines through this conversation and leaves you inspired and uplifted! Show notes: blessingsandmotherhood.com/savoring-moments-with-lisa-bailey

Why is having a conversation so hard? Maybe it's just certain conversations… or certain people…! What IS a good conversation, anyway? Listen in this week as guest Daniel Shirley helps Lisa define a good conversation, a good conversationalist, and some really good ways to encourage good conversations at home and in community. It'll be good, we promise. Take control of your homeschooling journey by attending an Information Meeting. Find an Info Meeting near you at https://classicalconversations.com/events/.

What IS morning time? How do I "do it"? What do I need? Can I do it with ALL my kids? If these are your questions as you begin the new homeschool year, this week's Everyday Educator guest will bless you. Amy Jones joins Lisa to talk about a way to connect your family as you begin your homeschool day, setting the tone for a lifetime of learning. With practical ideas for little ones, older ones, and multiple ages, this episode will inspire you and reassure you! Celebrating together! Has your student or community done something noteworthy? We are collecting these stories, accomplishments, and events to celebrate and share the excitement of homeschooling. Please provide as much information as possible to completely tell the story. Share your story at http://www.classicalconversations.com/celebrate-together

As Foundations communities gear up, families gather supplies, expectations, and sometimes worries! If you're wondering how to get the most out of your Foundations experience, this week's guest will give you the answers. Courtney Bradshaw, Foundations Academic Advisor, shares the tips and truths that have brought her family through 11 years of Foundations. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at https://copperlodgelibrary.com/

As the new academic year begins, we offer families some encouragement from a couple of moms who may be farther along the journey than you are now. Join Lisa and guest Kelli Wilt as they share the lessons that a look in the rearview mirror has revealed to them—lessons about their children, about their schedules, their assumptions, and the hardest job you'll ever love. The Secret Garden is a beloved classic novel. The footnotes include word definitions, pronunciations, and historical context to support life-long learning, enabling students to deepen their reading and thinking skills. Wide margins encourage note taking and having "conversations" with the book and its author. Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at CopperLodgeLibrary.com.

As you and your student approach the Challenge years, you may be considering all the changes ahead. Maybe you are wondering how to navigate all the new responsibilities, and assignments, and even a new schedule. But you may not have recognized the bigger challenge of Challenge! Join Tim Knotts as he sheds some light on how parents and students can continue the journey together and meet the challenge! Learn more about the Copper Lodge Library at copperlodgelibrary.com.

What's the best thing to do as you begin to homeschool? Start your own library! How to begin, what to include, when to share your books, where to keep all those books?? Listen as self-professed "Keeper of the Books" Jennifer Courtney shares about her own library and her journey to promote a culture of reading in all her communities. Great inspiration AND practical suggestions abound. 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/

You likely know all the academic reasons to study Latin alongside your kids; but, do you know the best one? Listen this week as homeschool mom, Support Representative and Latin student Heatherly Sylvia offers some thought-provoking (and potentially convicting) reasons to study Latin alongside our children. Celebrating together! Has your student or community done something noteworthy? We are collecting these stories, accomplishments, and events to celebrate and share the excitement of homeschooling. Please provide as much information as possible to completely tell the story. Share your story at http://www.classicalconversations.com/celebrate-together

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.