Schoolhouse Rocked: The Homeschool Revolution

Cindy West welcomes S.D. Smith, creator of the Green Ember series, for a heartfelt conversation about moral imagination and faith-filled storytelling. Learn why stories that reflect reality—including hardship and heroism—prepare our kids to face darkness with courage and hope.

What You’ll Learn:

• What makes a story "dangerous" in a good way for Christian families
• Why children benefit from stories that don’t shy away from hardship
• The impact of authentic storytelling on a child’s character
• How to discern and select the best living literature for your homeschool
• Why faith and imagination grow hand-in-hand

Recommended Resources:

Find all of the resources recommended in this episode, plus free resources from Schoolhouse Rocked, in the show notes here.

Sponsors:

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

⁠Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Yvette Hampton welcomes back Monica Swanson to discuss the crucial yet often overlooked subjects of Health and Physical Education (PE) in homeschooling. Monica shares valuable insights, drawing from her background in sports medicine, physical therapy, and experience as a PE teacher. Learn why these subjects are vital for your child's development and how to seamlessly integrate them into your daily homeschooling routine. Discover practical tips, biblical perspectives, and the importance of staying active from kindergarten through high school. Learn how to get your kids moving, the types of exercises that are best, and how to make health and wellness a priority in your homeschool curriculum.

Recommended Resources:

Find links to all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

Get our new ebook, The Importance of Outdoor Play: A Guide to Homeschooling in the Great Outdoors, here.

Sponsors:

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Are your kids spending too much time indoors?

Join Yvette Hampton and Aby Rinella as they dive into the importance of outdoor play for homeschool families. Discover how time in God's creation can benefit your children both academically and spiritually, and learn practical tips for making outdoor adventures a joyful part of your homeschool journey—even if “getting out” doesn’t come naturally!

What You'll Learn:

• How outdoor play benefits kids’ academic and emotional development
• Tips for making outdoor time part of your family’s regular routine
• Ideas for creative and easy outdoor activities
• Overcoming common fears and challenges for reluctant outdoor families
• Biblical encouragement for experiencing God’s creation together

Recommended Resources:

Find links to all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

Sponsors:

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Struggling with tough homeschool questions? Kristi Clover and Israel Wayne tackle some of the most common—and challenging—questions homeschool families face. If you’ve wrestled with doubts about your curriculum choices, handling family criticism, or prioritizing faith in education, this episode is for you. Dive deep with two veteran homeschoolers and walk away equipped and encouraged!

What You'll Learn:

• How to answer the "Are homeschoolers missing out?" question with confidence
• Practical guidance for homeschooling when you face opposition from family or church leaders
• How to prioritize faith and family in your homeschool journey
• Choosing Christian curriculum: What to look for and what to avoid
• The truth about sports, socialization, and extracurriculars for homeschoolers
• Insightful strategies for single parents or working moms to successfully homeschool

Recommended Resources:

Find links to all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

Sponsors:

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Are you concerned about the future of homeschooling? Join Kristi Clover and Israel Wayne on the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast for an honest conversation about how homeschooling is evolving and explore the challenges and opportunities facing Christian homeschoolers today. Discover biblical wisdom and practical solutions for keeping your homeschool rooted in faith amidst a rapidly changing landscape and eroding freedoms.

What You’ll Learn:

• The biblical foundation for Christian home education
• The spiritual roots of the homeschool movement
• How motivations for homeschooling have changed over the decades
• Current threats to homeschool freedom and how to safeguard against them
• Dangers of government involvement and loss of parental control
• Why defining “homeschooling” matters now more than ever

Recommended Resources:

Find all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

Sponsors:

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

When your child makes choices that break your heart, what does true, faithful love look like? In this heartfelt episode of the Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast, Kristi Clover and Rachael Carman explore the deep pain of mom guilt, disappointment, and the journey of trusting God with your children’s paths. Whether you’re parenting young kids or navigating adult children, you’ll find wisdom and hope here.

What You'll Learn:

• How to process and respond when your child drifts from your values or faith
• Why your child’s difficult choices aren’t a reflection of your failure
• Prayer strategies rooted in God’s Word for prodigal seasons
• Real-life tools for protecting your relationship, even when you disagree
• How to stay present and available in your child’s toughest moments
• Encouragement to shift your hope from outcomes to God Himself

Find all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Are you weighed down by fear that you’re “ruining” your kids? 

In this heartfelt episode, Kristi Clover sits down with Rachael Carman to tackle the struggles of mom guilt—that quiet fear every homeschool mom feels that she might be "messing everything up." Through honest conversation and Biblical encouragement, you'll be reminded that you're not alone and that God is sovereign over your children’s hearts and choices. Whether you’re a new homeschooler or a seasoned veteran, this episode will bring hope and practical wisdom to your motherhood journey.

What You'll Learn:

• Why you don’t need to be a perfect mom for your kids to thrive
• How to recognize and overcome perfectionist tendencies in parenting
• How to embrace your imperfections and point your kids toward God’s perfection
• The importance of trusting God with your children’s outcomes
• Ways to support and find encouragement from other Christian moms
• How to distinguish faithful parenting from fruitless panic

Find all of the resources mentioned in this episode in the show notes here.

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Holman Homeschool Guide - Develop your family’s academic and biblical education with trustworthy resources from the Holman Homeschool Guide! Excite kids to study God’s Word through fun and engaging kids Bibles, study tools, and companion products that bring the Bible to life. Equip teens to go deeper in Scripture to apply it to their lives and find resources to encourage parents’ faith.

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Can doubt actually deepen your child's faith? Aby Rinella welcomes Chuck Black to reveal why it’s so important to make room for doubt and questions in our Christian homeschool families. With touching testimony and biblical encouragement, Chuck Black equips moms and dads to confidently address their children’s spiritual struggles, and shares practical biblical wisdom, encouragement, and real-life tips to help parents foster deep and lasting faith. Don’t let fear keep you from having life-changing conversations with your kids!

What You'll Learn:

• The importance of inviting honest questions at home
• Practical ways to identify hidden doubt in quiet children
• How to create a safe, open environment for faith conversations
• Tools for parents to tackle their own faith fears
• Key moments when children are open to sharing their hearts

Recommended Resources:

Find all of the resources recommended in this episode in the show notes here.

BJU Press Homeschool 

CTCMath

Explorer Bible for Kids

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Homeschooling isn’t just about academics—it’s about standing strong against an enemy that seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Aby Rinella sits down with Chuck Black—former F-16 pilot, author, and veteran homeschool dad—to discuss spiritual warfare, how it impacts our families, the crucial role of Christian marriages, and why homeschool parents are on the front lines. Discover biblical strategies to protect and prepare your children to thrive in a culture of deception.

What You'll Learn:

• What spiritual warfare is—and why every Christian parent should understand it
• The importance of strong marriage and family relationships in spiritual battles
• How to be proactive in defending your children’s faith
• Why apologetics matter for homeschool families
• Resources and conversation strategies to help your kids stand firm in their beliefs

Recommended Resources:

Find all of the resources recommended in this episode in the show notes here.

BJU Press Homeschool 

CTCMath

Explorer Bible for Kids

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.

Are you feeling the pressure to make your homeschooler look “impressive” or “successful”? Kristi Clover welcomes back Jonathan Brush to challenge the world’s definition of success and reveal why a life of thriving is a higher calling for our children. Listen in for encouraging, faith-based advice you can put into practice right now!

What You’ll Learn:

• How to define true success from a biblical, homeschool perspective
• Why focusing on thriving leads to resilient, confident kids
• Ways to prioritize relationships and character above grades and awards
• The dangers of the "follow your passion" advice and what actually works
• How parents can help kids overcome fear of failure

Find links to all of the resources recommended in this episode here.

BJU Press Homeschool is dedicated to providing homeschool families with academically strong curriculum rooted in a biblical worldview. They offer a complete curriculum from preschool through 12th grade, available in both traditional textbooks and video courses. By teaching through the lens of Christ’s power, they help students view the world through the transformative story of God’s creation.

CTCMath specializes in providing online video tutorials that take a multi-sensory approach to learning. Creative graphics and animation, synchronized with the friendly voice of internationally acclaimed teacher, Pat Murray, make learning math easy and effective. Start your free trial today.

Explorer Bible for Kids - Bring the Bible to life with the Explorer Bible for Kids, Explorer Bible for Kids Dictionary, and Explorer Bible for Kids Memory Cards. The Explorer Bible for Kids includes QR codes to print out fun activity pages, timelines, and discussion questions, and watch videos that equip kids to explore God’s Word & apply truth to their lives!

The Schoolhouse Rocked Podcast is a member of the Biblical Family Network.