The Homeschool Connections Podcast

Episode 92 Discover God in the Creatures You See Outside! We homeschoolers love to carry field guides on our outdoor rambles, so we can revel with our children in God’s beautiful creation and identify some of the incredible variety of animal species just waiting to be discovered. The wonderful Dave Palmer is here today to help you Discover God in the Creatures You See Outside!   Dave Palmer's book...

Episode 91: A Smart Catholic Homeschooling Dad   One of the positives of our unusual times is that a lot more working fathers are at home and contributing to the education of their children. And that is a beautiful thing. Today our guest is the very clever creator of SmartCatholics.com, homeschooling dad, Dominic de Souza!   Find Dominic de Souza: https://dominicdesouza.com https://smartcatholics....

Episode 90: The Perfect Catholic Marriage We all feel the pressure to have a perfect Catholic marriage. Especially with our children at home full time, we want them to absorb and learn what the world will never be able to teach them. Today’s guest, Dr. Stacy Trasancos, is here to talk about The Perfect Catholic Marriage!   Find Dr. Stacy Trasancos here: https://stphilipinstitute.org/talks-by-stacy...

Episode 89: Mega Curriculum List   Choosing a curriculum works best when we have our own individual children in mind, and we share resources with each other! Today’s guest, Jenny Bales, is going to share her Mega Curriculum List.   Find Jenny Bales: https://www.heartofamother.net   Mega Curriculum List: https://www.heartofamother.net/curriculum/    Bloom Homeschooling (consulting): http://bloomhom...

Episode 88: Messy Hospitality Have you ever wished that your house was the place your friends loved to gather, but you hesitate because your house is full of kids and homeschooling materials and—honestly, it’s kind of a mess? Today’s topic is Messy Hospitality, with the very relaxed, very hospitable, Maureen Wittmann. Find Maureen here: https://homeschoolconnections.com/ Take a look at Episode 37:...

Episode 87: Making History with Your Homeschool History Lessons! Our times call for an awareness of history that can help our children grow up and make history in answering the call of God on their lives. Today, it’s my great pleasure to welcome Phillip Campbell, a beloved Catholic historian.   Find Phillip Campbell here: http://phillipcampbell.net   His new book! The Catholic Educator's Guide to...

Episode 86: Making Learning Fun & Natural Over the Summer   Summer vacation. Finally, the learning is done. Or is it? Everybody sure needs a break, but Maureen Wittmann is here to tell us that the learning can be incredibly fun and refreshing for the whole family. She’s here to tell us about Making Learning Fun & Natural Over the Summer!   Find Maureen Wittmann at HomeschoolConnections.com   No Sh...

Episode 85: Homeschool Grads Discerning Vocations Today we’re talking with the amazing Megan Fassero from Benedictine College and two lovely homeschool graduates, Annabeth Demary and Colette Cassar, who are discerning religious vocations! Every mother’s dream! Find Megan Fassero at Benedictine College’s website: https://www.benedictine.edu/ Today's Short Feature: Books & Blessings, A.J. Catttapan...

Episode 84: Choose the Best Math Curriculum for Your Child   One of the most overwhelming parts of being a new homeschooler is figuring out how to teach math at home. Each child learns in unique ways and—well, let’s face it—very few of us are confident teaching math to begin with. Veteran homeschooler and popular curriculum reviewer, Cathy Duffy, is here to help us to Choose the Best Math Curricul...

Episode 83: Homeschooled Teen Entrepreneur   There’s a humorous stereotype of the homeschooled genius who masters calculus in the second grade, becomes a chess champion, or does the round of the talk shows to sell his new book because he’s just that precocious. Well… have we got a treat for you. The busy entrepreneur you’re about to meet, John Louzonis, is a Homeschooled Teen Entrepreneur who has...

Episode 82: Our House of the Sacred Heart   In our Catholic liturgical cycle, the month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but Our Lord invites us to fully center the life of our family and our homeschool on this powerful devotion, all year long. Today’s guest, homeschooling mom, Annabelle Moseley, will invite us to a whole new level of appreciation for the love of Jesus--and share...

Episode 81: Unschooling: It’s Not What You Think!   When people hear the term, Unschooling, they very often experience a moment of confusion. How can you be a home educator, they wonder, if you’re not schooling? Veteran homeschooler Patrice Jennings is here to discuss a really fun topic: Unschooling: It’s Not What You Think!   Resources Patrice recommends: Life of Fred: https://www.lifeoffred.uniq...

Episode 80: Car Schooling: My Joyful Journey   Homeschooling is often a movable feast of learning, with co-ops, field trips, and cultural experiences woven into the fabric of family life. But the family van can also be a place where learning happens in ways both natural and innovative. Today’s guest is Marine veteran and homeschooling veteran, Teresa Hansen, here to tell us about Car Schooling!  ...

Episode 79: Helping Special Needs Students to Succeed (Part I)   We love our children, and most of the time, we know better than anyone else what is best for them. But sometimes our children face challenges that require an expert’s help and encouragement. Today’s guest, Margaret Walsh, is a wonderful lady who loves Helping Special Needs Students to Succeed.   Please send in your questions and we’l...

Episode 78: Learning from Literature Starts with Scripture   A desire to ignite our kids with great ideas and an appreciation for their dignity as children of God often leads us to good books that jumpstart great conversations! But where to begin? Today, our guest is the delightful Kevin O’Brien, here to explain why Learning from Literature Starts with Scripture.   Find Kevin O’Brien at Homeschool...

Episode 77:  Celebrate The Triduum Like Never Before!   Holy Week is upon us, once again. The graces are flowing, the liturgy is rich, and the faith journey of Lent is reaching its climax. Today, we are blessed to have bestselling author, Kendra Tierney, here to help us Celebrate the Triduum Like Never Before! Stay with us!   Find Kendra Tierney: https://catholicallyear.com    Find Kendra’s book!...

Episode 76: The Catholic Mom & Daughter Show It’s amazing what homeschoolers get up to in their spare time—as if they have any! Today’s guests, Jennifer & Kate Waldyke, are the co-hosts of The Catholic Mom & Daughter Show. Stay with us!   The Catholic Mom and Daughter Show   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9EZlPjb4_rTadEvTVuAOw/videos    When I started my homeschooling journey, I learned A TON...

Episode 75: The Strategic Grandparent Our families have an untapped superpower that can help our kids get to heaven. Today’s guest, Mike Shaughnessey, is here to share about The Strategic Grandparent! Find Mike Shaughnessey at www.grandly.org Newsletter on youth culture (http://kairos-na.org/YouthCulture_News) He has done interviews on EWTN Bit.ly/Grandly-EWTN1 Bit.ly/Grandly-EWTN2 bit.ly/grandyWA...

Episode 74: How a Homeschooled Teen Discovered a Passion for Writing! Our teens are full of promise and potential, and it’s a delight to see how educational opportunities can ignite their enthusiasm and begin to shine a light on the path ahead. Today’s guest is 16-year-old Felicity Schmidt, here to talk about How a Homeschooled Teen Discovered a Passion for Writing! Short Feature: Celeste Behe, Th...

Episode 73: Why Our Kids Need to Study Philosophy Thinking about the most important questions of our lives requires a little training, and today’s guest, Dr. Sam Nicholson, has a passion for teaching and some great reasons Why Our Kids Need to Study Philosophy. You’ll love this! Contact: Sam Nicholson at scn8v@virginia.edu Dr. Nicholson's Beginners Philosophy Reading List, https://homeschoolconnec...

Episode 72: The Importance of Nurturing Your Marriage With the rituals of Valentine’s Day in the rearview mirror and the spiritual deep-dive of Lent just beginning, one of our favorite guests, Charbel Raisch, is here to share a distinctively Catholic perspective on The Importance of Nurturing Your Marriage. Find Charbel Raisch at https://www.parousiamedia.com/ Today’s Short Feature: A.J. Cattapan,...

Episode 71: Fasting for Health and Holiness Lent is upon us, and many of us are "tempted" to fast--just to lose a few pounds. But there’s so much more to it. Today, it’s my joy to talk with Dr. Kerrie Berends, who will give us some wonderful spiritual and scientific insights into Fasting for Health and Holiness. Find Dr. Kerrie Berends here: Dr_berends@msn.com Dr. Berend's course s: https://homesc...

Episode 70: The Healing Power of the Sacrament of Matrimony It’s pretty much universal: we parents worry about our children’s souls, as they move out into a spiritually dark culture. We wonder: Can powerful conversions and healings come through imperfect Catholic families like ours? Today’s guest, veteran homeschooler Jess Echeverry, is here to tell us how her broken life was transformed through t...

Episode 69: Love in a Time of Quarantine In the best of times, it is challenging to live out Gospel values in our families and communities, but with the isolation and stress we’re experiencing these days, we’re having to be more attuned to God’s grace than ever before. Today’s guest, homeschool veteran Mary Ellen Barrett, is here to explore Love in a Time of Quarantine. Contact Mary Ellen: www.mar...

Episodes 68: An Australian Homeschool Have you ever wondered what it would be like to homeschool in Australia? Today’s guest, Charbel Raish, will give us a peek into the unique qualities of his family’s Australian Homeschool! Find Charbel Raish at https://www.parousiamedia.com/   Today’s Short Feature: A.J. Cattapan, Books & Blessings Topic: The Other Side of Freedom, by Cynthia Toney Find A.J. Ca...