Creating your own interest-led middle school curriculum is not only possible, it's preferable for many gifted and twice exceptional children. In this episode of the podcast, Colleen shares how she encourages her tweens and teens to take on more responsibility for their education and how to get started creating your own interest-led, middle school homeschool curriculum. 

RLL #133: Homeschooling Middle School Using Your Own Interest-Based Curriculum

The Raising Lifelong Learners podcast helps parents -- especially homeschooling parents -- encourage their differently-wired kids to learn, explore passions, cultivate creativity, and become fascinated by the world around them. Join host Colleen Kessler -- educational consultant, gifted specialist, author, and speaker -- for interviews, audioblogs, tips, and encouragement to help your differently-wired kiddos become lifelong learners -- children who know that they can find the answers to anything they want to know if they can just view their world with play, passion, and fascination.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Education for Kids

In this week’s episode of the podcast, we’re talking with Christine Fonseca, licensed educational psychologist, critically acclaimed author, and nationally recognized speaker on topics related to educational psychology, mental health, giftedness, and using storytelling to heal past wounds.  Understanding the complex world of giftedness is crucial for providing the best support for your child. In this episode, we delve into key understandings that can make a significant difference in your homeschooling journey.   Key Takeaways:  Recognize Intensity: Gifted kids often exhibit intense emotions and behaviors due to their high sensitivity and cognitive abilities. Understanding this can prevent mislabeling their intensity as behavioral issues. Identify Needs: Differentiating between gifted traits and actual behavioral problems is crucial. Providing the right accommodations can help them thrive without pathologizing their uniqueness. Embrace Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Teaching EQ can have a profound effect on a child's success. Use everyday moments to instill skills like empathy, adaptability, and social awareness. Navigate Social Dynamics: Gifted children may find it hard to fit in due to their exceptional intellect. Helping them value and appreciate different perspectives can bridge social gaps. Knowledge & Resources: Books and websites can be transformative. Utilize practical resources to better understand and support your gifted child. Parental Reflection: Understanding and managing your own emotional triggers can help you respond more effectively to your child. Trust that they will be fine, and lead with patience and empathy. Community and Support: Engaging with communities offers valuable insights and shared experiences. Connecting with other parents can provide additional support and strategies.  Links and Resources to Today's Episode Our sponsor for today’s episode is CTC Math   Pre-Order - The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Lifelong Learners Membership Community - The Learners Lab Raising Resilient Sons by Colleen Kessler, M.Ed. Christine Fonseca: https://www.christinefonseca.com New Edition! Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children The Caring Child: Raising Empathetic and Emotionally Intelligent Children RLL 24: Asynchrony, Intensity, and Motivation | A Listener Question Giftedness & Intensity Calm the Chaos with Dayna Abraham  The Social Emotional Needs Of Gifted And Neurodiverse Children The Unique Challenges of Homeschooling Gifted Kids When Giftedness is Misdiagnosed as a Behavior Problem  Knowledge is Power: Helping Our Gifted Children Cope Perfectionism And Gifted Children: What You Need To Know Homeschooling Our Gifted Children: The Power Of Artful Questions Anxiety vs. Stress vs. Perfectionism: Helping Our Children Cope  Connect with Christine FonsecaYou can find Christine on: Instagram @ChristineFonsecaAuthor, Facebook @AuthorChristineFonseca, or LinkedIn @Christine Fonseca Christine's group: The Intense Life Tribe on Facebook Christine’s website: https://www.christinefonseca.com Connect with ColleenYou can find Colleen on Twitter @ColleenKessler, Facebook @RaisingLifelongLearners, Instagram @ColleenKessler How does your child learn best? Take the Quiz ==> https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/quiz/  

Navigating Intensity and Giftedness | Insights from Christine Fonseca

In today's episode of the podcast, we dive into the power of building strong family connections, especially in homeschooling families. We'll chat practical tips like setting family goals, managing time with multiple calendars, and encouraging sibling collaboration. Then, I'll touch on how mindfulness, open communication, and family rituals can foster deep bonds and support your kids' emotional and academic growth. Tune in to embrace family time and create unforgettable memories together!   Key Takeaways:  Encourage Collaboration and Communication: Foster emotional connections and model respectful communication and empathy during conflicts. Simple actions like admitting mistakes and apologizing can nurture trust and respect. Promote Independence and Responsibility: Assign age-appropriate responsibilities and allow children to make their own choices. This builds accountability and helps them learn from consequences. Prioritize Quality Family Time: Focus on quality over quantity by engaging in one-on-one time and screen-free family outings. This can be achieved through creative solutions like car ride conversations or including kids in errands.  We also discuss the resources available through The Learner's Lab community -- Join us if you haven't yet!    Our sponsor for today’s episode is CTC Math  Links and Resources from Today's Episode  Pre-Order - The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners Raising Lifelong Learners Membership Community - The Learners Lab Raising Resilient Sons by Colleen Kessler, M.Ed.  Activities to Strengthen Your Family Team The Importance Of Play For Your Entire Family  Creating a Family Mission Statement RLL #76: Creating the Adventurous Family with Rachel Rainbolt Stick Figuring Through the Bible - NEED AMAZON LINK Host an Epic Family Movie Night  Rock Your Family Life and Raise Awesome Gifted Kids  Growing a Family of Character Find a Place of Belonging for Your Neurodiverse Kids RLL #102: A Conversation about Connection with Shawna Wingert RLL 10 Sarah MacKenzie: Building Connections Through Books A Thriving Homeschool | Strategies for Setting Boundaries  Sibling Unifier: Peanut Butter Play dough Resiliency Resources  Everything You Need To Homeschool A Child With ADHD  Connect with Colleen You can find Colleen on  Twitter @ColleenKessler,  Facebook @RaisingLifelongLearners,  Instagram @ColleenKessler How does your child learn best?  Take the Quiz ==> https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/quiz/

Homeschooling Success | The Role of Strong Family Connections

In this week's episode of the podcast, we're talking with Rachel Figg, a trailblazer in the homeschooling world and the creator of Spark Schooling. As homeschooling parents, we recognize some challenges come with teaching children at home. This conversation focuses on sparkschooling, a novel approach to learning designed to ignite curiosity and engage students more deeply by integrating art, music, physical education, and STEM into daily learning activities. The heart of sparkschooling lies in its curiosity-driven approach, tailoring learning to align with a child’s natural interests. Rachel explains how Spark Schooling integrates non-traditional methods like using buckets and kitchen utensils to teach musical rhythms, or video classes for varied subjects to cater to diverse learning preferences and paces. This method not only respects each child’s learning journey but also fosters a supportive environment where learning is associated with joy and discovery rather than pressure and memorization. Key Takeaways:  Curiosity-Driven Learning: Rachel Figg emphasizes the importance of fostering curiosity in children as a fundamental aspect of sparkschooling. This approach encourages students to pursue their own interests and questions, leading to deeper engagement and understanding.     Integrating Creative and Analytical Learning: Both Rachel and Colleen discuss the importance of combining left and right brain activities—such as art and STEM—into homeschooling to develop both creative and analytical skills in children, enhancing overall learning and problem-solving abilities.     Hands-On Experiences: The episode highlights the significance of hands-on learning experiences, like the real-life application of physics concepts in a homeschooling with horses class to understand inertia. This method helps cement knowledge through practical application.     Resource Accessibility: Sparkschooling is likened to a Netflix-like library where children can choose from a variety of activities based on their interests, all available in a simple, self-paced format. This accessibility makes learning adaptable and tailored to each child's pace and interests.     Higher-Level Thinking Skills: The discussion underlines the need to focus on developing higher-level thinking skills from an early age, moving beyond basic knowledge to analyzing, evaluating, and creating. This prepares children for complex problem-solving and independent thinking.     Low-Pressure Learning Environment: The sparkschooling program is designed to create a low-pressure, non-judgmental learning environment that encourages exploration and reduces the fear of failure, enabling children to explore new subjects and discover their passions.     Simple Integration of Diverse Subjects: Rachel suggests practical ways to integrate diverse subjects like music, art, physical education, and STEM into daily homeschool routines to ensure a holistic education that keeps children engaged and promotes well-rounded development.     Encouraging Physical Education: Physical activities are highlighted as crucial for children's education, not just for physical health but also for teaching persistence, coordination, and critical thinking through physical challenges.     Engaging and Fun Learning Activities: The episode emphasizes the importance of making learning fun and engaging through activities like using kitchen utensils as drumsticks to learn musical rhythm, which helps sustain children's interest and enthusiasm for learning.     Following Children's Natural Curiosities: Both host and guest stress the need for parents to pay attention to and nurture their children's natural curiosities, as this will lead to more meaningful and self-motivated learning, making education a joy rather than a chore.    Our sponsor for today’s episode is CTC Math    Links and Resources from Today's Show     Pre-Order - The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners  Raising Lifelong Learners Membership Community - The Learners Lab  Raising Resilient Sons by Colleen Kessler, M.Ed.  Spark Schooling HUB  Join The Hands-on Homeschool Virtual Enrichment Program   Free Gift: Sample Classes | Spark Schooling (The Hands-on Homeschool)  RLL #94: The Importance of Music with Jessica Peresta    Unleashing Childhood Creativity in the Homeschool Environment  Awesome Art Additions   Embracing Art and Its History for Kids With Sensory Issues    How a Return to Outside Play Will Help Our Kids Thrive with Ginny Yurich  Sneaking In Summer Learning    Make a Paper Plate Maze STEM Challenge    Real-Life Science Mysteries Book     Connect with Rachel Check out Rachel’s website at https://sparkschooling.com/You can find Rachel  @TheHandsOnHomeschool onInstagram or Facebook with the handle @thehandsonhomeschool   Connect with Colleen   You can find Colleen on  Twitter @ColleenKessler,  Facebook @RaisingLifelongLearners,  Instagram @ColleenKessler   How does your child learn best?  Take the Quiz ==> https://raisinglifelonglearners.com/quiz/ 

Sparkschooling | Engaging Children in Music, Art, and STEM

Embracing Play for Teens | Growth and Resilience

  In the latest episode, we dive into the fascinating world of puzzles and their role in fostering lifelong learning. Eric Berlin, a renowned puzzle maker and author, shares his experiences with puzzles in educational settings and their impact on child development.    Eric discusses the integration of puzzle-solving into educational curricula. He shares a time when his daughter, influenced by puzzle video games, designed video game levels herself, showcasing how such engagement can foster a practical understanding of complex concepts like coding and design.    Key Takeaways:     Foster Critical Thinking: Puzzles encourage critical thinking and creativity, essential skills in today’s rapidly changing world.     Tech-Savvy Learning: Incorporating puzzle video games can promote visual thinking and problem-solving skills among children.     Community Collaboration: Participating in community puzzle events can build teamwork and social skills.     Find Eric and his engaging puzzle books at puzzlesnacks.com and ericberlin.com. Connect with him on social platforms for more puzzle fun!    Whether you’re a parent, educator, or puzzle enthusiast, this episode offers valuable insights into making learning a playful and engaging journey. Tune in to discover more  Links and Resources from Episode 242:   Our sponsor for today’s episode is CTC Math    Pre-Order - The Homeschool Advantage: A Child-Focused Approach to Raising Lifelong Learners  Raising Lifelong Learners Membership Community - The Learners Lab  Raising Resilient Sons by Colleen Kessler, M.Ed.   The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin   Puzzlesnacks by Book by Eric Berlin  Free Gift: Puzzlesnacks Sampler  Ever So Logical | PuzzleNation.com Blog   Creative Thinking Activities for Kids    How to Encourage Innovative Thinking in Your Kids   Raising Problem Solvers   One Person Logic Games that Rock    The Learning Game | A Conversation with Ana Lorena Fabrega   Giving Your Child Life Skills | Metacognition  Connect with Eric To try out Eric’s puzzles click over to Puzzle Snacks: http://www.puzzlesnacks.comYou can find Eric  @puzzlesnacks Instagram or Facebook with the handle @puzzlesnacks 

RLL #133: Homeschooling Middle School Using Your Own Interest-Based Curriculum

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