Dwell

In this episode, Renee and Karen talk with Buck Holler about his new curriculum, Hodie Latine: A Daily Liturgy for the Active Latin Learner. Written for children in the pre-grammar stage, it offers a recitation, a song, a game, all in Latin, along with illustrations for ease in understanding. It is not a textbook, but a "little book of delights meant to invite students into the joys of learning La...

Renee and Karen offer tips for planning out the coming school year: get a good planner/calendar, map out the big life events, add the scheduled things, the seasonal events, plan your typical week, give structure to your day, and leave space for the unexpected! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Renee and Karen chat about how to let your curriculum serve your goals and the needs of your children. Remember that education is cultivation, and it takes a long time to produce fruit!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen to our recent webinar with Andrew Kern as he discusses the art of language and the benefits of narration and dictation in training attention, memory, thinking, and expression. We answer questions about our new curriculum, The Tapestry: what it is, who it is for, how it is structured to fit in with weekly lesson plans, and the format of each exercise. We think you will enjoy listening in! Ho...

Listen as Renee and Karen chat about how to get the most out of a summer conference. From planning ahead, to taking in and enjoying every moment while pacing yourself, to reflecting on what you have gained, they offer tips for having a blast and going home refreshed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Renee and Karen offer ideas and tips for planning your next family trip. Renee brilliantly suggests that the strategies for thinking and writing in The Lost Tools of Writing can help you prepare for your family's summer vacation! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all know play is important for the development of our children, but do we know why and how to incorporate play into our homeschool day? Join Renee and Karen as they chat with Rachel Woodham about her soon-to-be-published book, Let There Be Play. Rachel discusses the nature of play and how it is necessary to the development of virtue and the moral imagination.   Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Author and educator Mark Signorelli joins Renee and Karen to discuss his new book, Things Glorious and Ruinous, Considering Classical Education Amidst Cultural Decay. Listen as they talk about the benefits of a classical education, including, as Mark writes in his book, "What is it the classical educator is preparing her students for? For happiness. And how does one learn to be happy in the future...

Listen as Renee and Karen chat with homeschool mom, Suzy Laskey, about their family farm in Michigan that started with a square foot garden and a dream. She describes how tending the animals and participating in the work of farm life have enriched her family and her homeschool. You might want to start a garden and get some chickens! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Renee describes her experience of being a winning contestant on a popular TV game show! She shares how she put her study skills to use in preparation and how she has used her experience to aid her students in preparing for exams and other challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen as Renee and Karen chat with Kimberly Farley, representative for the Classic Learning Test. This may be just what your family needs to navigate the world of academic assessments for college entrance, as well as testing for grades 3-8. We are sure you will find this conversation informative and also encouraging as you hear how well homeschoolers are doing academically. Hosted on Acast. See a...

In this episode, Renee and Karen are joined by Vanessa Priestner, labor and delivery nurse and homeschool mom. They discuss the needs of the postpartum mom, offer tips for finding rest and support, and explain the signs of PPD as opposed to the "baby blues". If you are in that season now, or if you are supporting a new mom, Vanessa's advice will be helpful to you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

Sometimes it is helpful to hear what other people are reading, their favorite books and authors, to be inspired to pick up a new book. We hope you enjoy this episode in which we share our favorites!  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen as Renee and Karen chat with guest, Amanda Kenter, who makes a convincing case for the importance of sports and physical activities in the formation of our kids. She explains the benefits of sports and how you can fit them in with your family dynamics, goals, and time commitments.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Renee and Karen answer a question from a listener about ADHD. They offer advice from their own experiences and from the principles of Charlotte Mason and Classical Education: keep lessons short, get outside, train habits, limit devices, and remember your child isn't a problem to be solved. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen as Renee and Karen talk with guest, homeschool mom Krista Sanders, about her journey to enrich her own intellectual life. She reflects on how it started when, as a mom of young boys, she asked herself, "What is education?" That eventually led her to the CiRCE Apprenticeship and then Belmont Abbey College, where she has recently completed her Master of Arts in Classical and Liberal Education...

Does the thought of teaching a foreign language in your homeschool intimidate you? Join us as Laura Councell gives us tips, ideas, and resources for learning with your children, using familiar books translated into another language and adding just a few phrases at a time. You will be inspired to wade in at the shallow end and give it a try. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informati...

In this episode, Renee and Karen chat with guest, Holly Schurter, long-time storyteller and great-grandmother, about how telling our stories builds a rich family culture and reminds us that grace is in the everyday. Follow her on Substack to read her articles! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Smith, founder of Inquisicook, an online culinary arts and science program for students ages 12 and up, joins Renee and Karen to chat about the science of cooking and about encouraging your children to help you in the kitchen. It may get messy, but the benefits to your child's formation and your family culture are immeasurable. Angela also shares that Inquisicook Jr. is coming soon. Listen...

It's Christmas Time, and we know so much rests on mom to make it all happen: shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating... Renee and Karen offer ideas and tips to help keep the season stress-free and to enjoy your family traditions with a joyful spirit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, friend and colleague in the world of classical education, mom and grandmother, teacher and poet, Christine Perrin, joins us for a discussion on how to foster a love of poetry in our children. She says that the experience of poetry comes before the analysis of it, she offers tips on how to jump into the world of poetry, and she shares her favorite volumes and poets with us.  H...

Katie Carrillo, mother of three daughters and head mentor of the Gulf Coast Apprenticeship, joins Renee and Karen to discuss living the good life with children living at home after high school. Our culture tells us that our child needs to create his or her own life at eighteen years old. But what if college or moving out of the family home is not what your child desires? Katie offers her story wit...

Listen as Renee and Karen chat with guest John Hodges, teacher, musician, composer, and director of The Center for Western Studies. John explains, as Plato said, that the purpose of music is to cause us to delight in beauty and the harmonious things. We discuss learning to play instruments, and John offers musical selections that you can find to enjoy with your children. To find out more about his...

Join us as we chat with Laura Councell about the effects that music, instrumental and vocal, can have on your children's souls, minds, and bodies. Laura holds a doctorate in music and is a homeschooling mother to three children ages 2,5, and 8. Her son, Harry, is a special needs child, and Laura describes how song has been life-giving for him. Listen and be inspired and encouraged by Laura's story...

In this episode, Renee and Karen chat with Bethany Kern about her new art history and appreciation books called Lumen, A Guide to the Elements o f Art through Time. The first volume (of seven) on line was published last year, and the second, on space, is hot off the presses . Listen as Bethany describes the process of choosing artists and their work, how the volumes are structured, and how you can...