Do you feel adequate for the task to teaching science to your kids?! If you are trying to prepare your child for a STEM career, you might already feel overwhelmed…but…is that what you should be doing?!    Our podcast guests Leslie Hubbard and Marc Hays offer some perspective and encouragement for parents in this episode; listen as they tell us how to get started and how to use the Five Common Topics to lead our students to ask “troubling questions” in pursuit of science!

Are you worried about “studying history” with your students as they get older—especially if youdon’t know all the history details that they know?!  The good news is, studying history doesn’t have to be complicated!  Join Marc Hays, Karin Carpenter, and Lisa Bailey as they reveal how to use some simple questions to “connect the dots” of your history study, building a context for your knowledge that truly leads to deeper understanding.  Our experienced parents will offer specifics on using the Five Common Topics to frame some great conversation-starters, and suggest some bigger reasons to study history as a family.

Have you noticed how argumentative your middle schooler can be? Wondering how to harness and channel this proclivity for good?  We suggest logic studies!  Join Lisa Bailey and Stephanie Meter as they advocate for studying logic with your middle schooler; as Stephanie says, teaching logic to your teens may just help them argue their way out of their own crazy ideas!  You’ll also see how logic finds its way into all other studies, from Latin to math to Mock Trial.  Listen in and discover how asking the right questions positions us all to find the right answers, logically speaking.

What IS the value of a “mental map of the world”?  Does “where” really matter to our students?  Whether you’re searching for the reason to study geography or looking for new ways to learn cartography, you’ll find fresh ideas on this Everyday Educator podcast.  Marc Hays, Stephanie Meter and Lisa Bailey look at how to layer the learning from Foundations through Challenge as they talk about geography and current events, pointing out ways to use the Five Common Topics to jump start the learning.

What if teaching math could bring your family closer?  Would you like to know how to “play with numbers” instead of only “solving problems”? Listen in as Lisa Bailey, Marc Hays, and Leslie Hubbard talk about math explorations at home and in community. Discover ways to ask good questions that model good thinking for your students, and begin the journey toward loving math—really!

The art of writing well focuses on three questions; do you know what they are?  If you feel somewhat unequal to the task of teaching writing to your children, or if you just want some fresh ideas, tune into this week’s Everyday Educator Podcast “More Than Pen and Paper.”  Lisa Bailey and Stephanie Meter give pointers on how to harness the Five Common Topics to ask key questions that will lead you and your students toward better writing, more open dialogue, and a truly hospitable exchange of ideas!

Whether you are a reader yourself or a parent eager to raise readers, you’ll love listening in as three lifelong readers discuss why children should read, what children should read, and how children should read.  Join Jennifer Courtney, Stephanie Meter, and Lisa Bailey as they explore how parents can raise readers by using good questions to initiate conversations about what we are reading at home.  You’ll go away equipped to ask good questions about a book even if you haven’t read it yourself!  As a bonus, listen in to discover the hidden benefit of reading.

Let’s be honest:  even after we make the decision to homeschool we have questions!  “How do I know what to teach?”  “How important are grades and assessments?”  “What else should I be teaching?” In this episode based on chapter 3 of The Question, host Lisa Bailey and guests Marc Hays and Leslie Hubbard share insights on these and other frequently asked questions.  Listen in as they ruminate on the point of education, the place of technology, and how classical education teaches self-control.

What do “rest” and “wrestling” have in common?  How can one actually lead to the other?  Find out on the latest Everyday Educator Podcast as Lisa Bailey, Marc Hays, and Leslie Hubbard talk about integration, reconciliation, harmony, and enjoying the journey with your middle school children. You’ll find encouragement and some good insight on asking the right questions as you learn alongside your kids.

Have you ever considered the purpose of education?  Are you still formulating your goals for educating your children at home?  Join Jennifer Courtney, Marc Hays, and Lisa Bailey as they think through the arts of the trivium and prepare to spend several weeks delving into the  Art of Dialectic.  This new series, based on the book The Question, will help you think through the philosophical and practical purposes for classically educating your children at home; you’ll gain valuable insight on how the Five Common Topics of Dialectic make wrestling with big ideas easier.