Everyday Educator

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...

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...

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 abou...

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...

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 gre...

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...

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...

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...

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 u...

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-f...

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 Co...

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 ho...

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...

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...

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://classi...

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 w...

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.  ...

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...

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...

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 Th...

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 learn...

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 mo...