Everyday Educator

As we head into the final weeks of our CC year, our minds turn to celebrating the past year together.  "What's the purpose of celebrating?", Courtney Bradshaw was asked.  Join Lisa Bailey as she picks the brain of our Foundations/Essentials Academic Advisor, and discover not only why we celebrate, but what, who, how, and when to celebrate!  Director, tutors, and parents:  you will be inspired and...

What's so great about "outside"?  Listen in as Lisa Bailey and Amy Jones answer that question, offering lots of practical suggestions for celebrating God's creation as we learn together.  It's not complicated!   Discover how to enjoy time outside with the whole family, no matter the season, no matter the weather, no matter the neighborhood.  So.  Many.  Ideas!!

For many homeschooling families, testing is at best a "necessary evil"; but, what if we thought of it as a tool of diagnostic assessment, a means of determining how to proceed next?  What if testing gave us more to talk about, presented us with encouragement to try things a different way, or provided us with insights about skills that need more practice?  Join Alec Bianco and Kimberly Farley of Cl...

If you have experienced the blessings of community, how do you then share those blessings with others?  Listen in as Heather Mangum articulates what is lovely about CC community; then be inspired as she gives insights on how to become a CC ambassador, inviting others into community.  Truth:  We share what we love; think about what you love about CC, and commit to sharing it with someone else!

If you've been wondering how to survive the Science Fair, this episode of the Everyday Educator Podcast is for you!  Join host Lisa Bailey and guest Veronica Boulden as they talk about how to thrive during this project, discovering how to choose a topic, work together successfully, and appreciate the skills that research and presentation grow.

Join Shelly Stockton and special mother/daughter guests Lisa Bailey and Stephanie Meter, Susannah and Emma Cox, and Shelly's daughter Kaitlyn Foster. Part 2 covers five more benefits of Classical, Christian education by discussing themes of freedom, the trivium, and life-long learning.

What's the big deal about National Memory Master?  Why might someone want to participate?  What will our family gain from participation?  How do we even get started??  Answers to these and all your other questions are uncovered on this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast.  Guests Olivia Walsh and Kelli Wilt give listeners all the intel on this "next level Memory Master" quest, and help famili...

If you are looking for ways to bring life to your family devotions, have we got a podcast for you!  Join Lisa Bailey and guest Kelli Wilt as they talk about how to use the Five Core Habits to re-energize your devotion time while exploring God's word and building deeper relationships with your children.  Kelli offers some great examples for us as we seek to Know God, and Lisa encourages families to...

Here comes January; are you ready??  Homeschooling in the wintertime can be a challenge, especially after the busy fun of the holidays.  What's a parent to do when no one seems motivated to "work the plan" anymore?  Join Lisa Bailey as she offers a new idea from a surprising source!

Join Shelly Stockton and special guests, Chelly Barnard, Kathy Donegia, and Rebecca Seo in a new series Twenty-five Reasons to Homeschool Classically . Listen in on Part 1 as these homeschool veterans discuss general principles, best practices, and lessons learned during their homeschool journeys.  

Why read aloud with your family, especially if your children are older?  Listen in this week as Heatherly Sylvia shares three solid benefits of reading aloud as a family, and offers some tips for what makes a book or story a great read aloud choice.  As an Advent choice, you can hardly miss with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever ; if you've never read it, or if it's been a long time, you'll want to...

Sometimes, the best homeschool memories revolve around reading aloud as a family!  Christmas is the perfect time to begin this habit, or continue it, at your house.  Join host Lisa Bailey on this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast  as she and Jennifer Courtney share stories of the blessings of reading aloud.  Jennifer offers some of her family read aloud favorites, and reminds us to check ou...

Does you enjoy reading aloud as a family?  Do you wish you did??  Well, Christmas time offers the perfect opportunity to try something new, and perhaps begin a new tradition.  Today's Everyday Educator guests are the perfect advocates for reading aloud as a family, and they have some rich Christmas experiences to share with us all.   Join host Lisa Bailey and guests Whit and Amy Jones as they expl...

For many families, Advent is full of traditions and memory-making opportunities; some of my favorite Christmas times involve reading aloud as a family.  Reading aloud allows us to build family culture, to get to know the same characters, and to develop "inside jokes" and literary references that draw us together.  Reading aloud is also just plain fun!  This year's Everyday Educator Advent series i...

Excellence in our homeschooling is a worthy goal, but is that different from "mastery"?  Can mastery actually be a limiting goal??  On this episode of the Everyday Educator, Lisa Bailey talks to Marc Hays, veteran homeschool dad, about what we gain when we pursue mastery and what we might miss .  Perhaps what we need is a different definition of "mastery"…

What will your children remember about homeschooling in twenty years?  The math problem sets?  The Latin translations?  The timeline?!  We think not.  Join Amanda Butler as she shares with host Lisa Bailey what she has learned about the really memorable moments of the homeschool journey.  Discover ways to seek a spirit of joy in your home, and uncover the beauty of your child's soul. 

Do you sometimes feel that you have so much to cover as a home educator that you can't afford to repeat anything?  Join Lisa Bailey and her guest, Lanelle Lowe, as they talk about this common myth and how a thorough understanding of the classical model can reveal the value of repetition.  We believe you'll end up relishing the repeating for practical as well as relational reasons.

Have you ever bought into a myth because "everybody says so"?  Lots of misguided folks believe that classical education is just for smart kids; or even that classical education makes kids smart.  Join Lisa and her guest Chelly Barnard as they bust that myth wide open!  Chelly will help you remember to consider both the purpose of education and the mission of CC; and you'll discover the tools that...

In this new Everyday Educator podcast series, host Lisa Bailey and her guests will do their best to bust some of the most prevalent homeschooling myths—and answer the question "Why do we believe these myths, anyway?"  In this episode, Jennifer Courtney helps to dispel the myth that homeschool success rests on finding the right curriculum—and sticking with it.  Tune in as these veteran educators di...

Are you treating your homeschool journey like a sprint or a marathon?  Many of us begin with the enthusiasm of sprinters, and discover that the sprint pace cannot be maintained for the life of our journey!  Listen in this week as homeschool veteran Kelli Wilt shares her story and some true wisdom from down the road.  You'll learn to pause, reflect, reassess, recalibrate—and rejoice!

Are you ready, willing, and able to become the Lead Learner in your home?  Maybe you are ready, but you've bought into a lie that says you're not able.  Maybe you're willing, but you don't know how to start.  This week's episode of the Everyday Educator Podcast features Lanelle Lowe, sharing the truth that God is out to redeem what's been lost or broken in your educational experience!  You'll find...

Is your homeschool for training minds or training hearts?  Why would we start with the heart when beginning the homeschool journey?  This week, listen as guest Amy Jones and host Lisa Bailey share the conviction that education is for training the mind and heart, in order to think higher thoughts.  Glean some practical ideas for cultivating a sweet spirit in your home, and for discerning some spiri...

One of the more profound lessons "from down the road" may well be that there is more to homeschooling than academic pursuits.  Join veteran homeschool moms Shelly Stockton and Lisa Bailey as they discuss building character, spiritual habits, relational maturity, and practical life skills while living and learning at home with their girls.  Discover how a classical education lived out in community...

Have you ever wished you could ask an "expert" a question about homeschooling?  Well, we don't know many who claim to be experts, but there are those who are farther along on the journey, veterans with wisdom to share.  In this new series, host Lisa Bailey talks with some experienced parents who can offer ideas, tips, and encouragement.  In this episode, Christy Bradley shares well-earned wisdom o...

Heading into Challenge III or IV with lots of expectations, and maybe a few questions?  Join Kathy Donegia and Lisa Bailey for this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, and re-think your assumptions while discovering the real pluses of classical Christian education lived out in community.  Explore both the academic fruit as well as the unanticipated life lessons of shepherding your student th...