Just the other day my friend said, "I HATED poetry in High School!" I didn't read more than a handful of poems before I graduated. Poems can be so hard to understand, the point seems to go over our heads, and actually make us feel dumber than when we started reading. Read a list of poems included in any Charlotte Mason curriculum and you can despair: How can I pass on a love of poetry to my children?!?!

We know intrinsically that poetry can enrich our souls. Your homeschool starts with your loves. You must legitimately learn to love poetry. This is not far fetched, it will happen through practice in community!

I help moms who feel inadequate in their ability to homeschool. You can start by feeling undereducated and become a confident, joyful life-long learner. You can walk the path that you want to lead your children down. 

I am recording my real class as we read and discussion through the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner with Adalyn (age 15) and Esther (age 14). I am inviting you in so that you can strengthen your own intellectual courage and curiosity and thus develop into a great teacher. 

I hope our fantastic discussions show you what a joy it is to invest in these final years of the homeschooling journey.

I would LOVE to hear from you. There is always more to discuss about a poem, and I would love to hear your thoughts, your struggles, and your suggestions! Email: [email protected]

The poem is written in 7 sections, so join us for 7 weeks as we read through and discuss together. We will read 1 part each week. Part 2: 3-12, Part 3: 3-19, Part 4: 3-26, Part 5: 4-2, Part 6: 4-9, Part 7: 4-16.

Add to your TBR! Grab our list of Favorite Books Here:  https://www.growingfruitfulfamilies.com/classic-books-podcast

More and more homeschool moms are realizing that it is essential that our high school students read original documents for history. 

Have you ever read the US Constitution? For me, starting out it felt like more of an obligation than a delight, but the experience was surprisingly much more fun than I anticipated. I foresee it will enliven our thoughts and discussions for years. When we finished, I had 2 of my students (Adalyn and Esther) list reasons you should read the constitution. We spend this episode trying to convince others to read it, as well as giving helpful tips for the process. Enjoy this playful and helpful discussion, and add to the conversation by commenting your own thoughts!

Next up, grow your appreciation for poetry by reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner with us! We will read 1 part each week. Part 1: March 5, Part 2: 3-12, Part 3: 3-19, Part 4: 3-26, Part 5: 4-2, Part 6: 4-9, Part 7: 4-16.

Add to your TBR! Grab our list of Favorite Books Here:  https://www.growingfruitfulfamilies.com/classic-books-podcast

Do old books intimidate you? Most of us know original sources are the best sources, but feel some reluctance to actually reading them. Do you expect them to be tedious and difficult?

I never liked history, and I've wondered what exactly my aim is in teaching it. I've landed on the true goal: to get wisdom. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a classic book often assigned to Charlotte Mason Homeschoolers. It was a delight to read and is clearly a treasure-trove of wisdom, which really comes out in our discussion. 

Homeschool mom, listen in on this discussion I had with 2 students, and grow your own confidence to dig in and get wisdom from old books together, through the very end of your homeschool journey. 

Add to your TBR! Grab our list of Favorite Books Here:  https://www.growingfruitfulfamilies.com/classic-books-podcast

For homeschool families! Listen in on this passionate discussion between me and 2 students. We have opinions on this book that is frequently assigned for Charlotte Mason high school students. 

This is the second installment of our discussion on Oliver Goldsmith's book, The Vicar of Wakefield. Our first episode was a spoiler free teaser, a prep guide for before you read the book. This episode has all the spoilers. 

There are three types of people who would benefit from listening to this discussion. 

1. The "Victors" of Wakefield: If you've finished the book, we know you want to rehash and think through it all again. 

2. The "Cheaters" of Wakefield. Love spoilers? Need more encouragement to read the book? Maybe you are a homeschool mom who's thinking of assigning it as a read, but you don't have time to read it yourself? This would be a super helpful discussion for you to hear before you assign it, or to give you material to discuss with your student after they read it. 

3. Folks who are interested in what homeschooling in high school looks like. (What do ya think... the "Peer-ers" of Wakefield????)

Thanks for listening! We'd love to hear from you!

Add to your TBR! Grab our list of Favorite Books Here:  https://www.growingfruitfulfamilies.com/classic-books-podcast

I pull back the curtain on our wonderful Charlotte Mason homeschool in this pilot podcast episode where I discuss The Vicar of Wakefield with 2 teens. This book was a wild ride for us with a rough beginning and a beautiful ending. Should you read it? Should you assign it to your highschooler? In a "spoiler-free" discussion we share what we wish we had known before starting out so you can enjoy this classic from beginning to end. 

Add to your TBR! Grab our list of Favorite Books Here:  https://www.growingfruitfulfamilies.com/classic-books-podcast