The Coop Homeschool

Why teach history, and what major principles do we need to know when homeschooling history? How do we educate our children for knowing history in preparation for college? We sit down with a historian to learn some helpful fundamentals about a history education. You don't know what you don't know, until you do! We also review a few games that help teach various aspects of North America in our Game-Schooling segment.

Working Moms - They can and do homeschool too. It may not always be easy, but it can be done! If you are wondering how, we share some tried and true advice on how to do it.

Does your child desire a pet? Whether it’s a hermit crab or kitten, a tarantula or a hamster, pets can provide a wealth of learning experiences that will equip your child with important life skills - like researching, budgeting, planning ahead, and growing responsibility. Most importantly, the process will empower your child and help her mature organically. We also discuss what we think is a great first pet in our Coop Q & A.

A homeschool mother and grown adult daughter (and fellow homeschool mom) share their highlights, regrets, and advice about homeschooling in this thoughtful and honest interview. Keeley shares what it was like to homeschool in the 90’s and early 2000’s, while Kim dives in to what it was like to be a homeschooled child. Hindsight is always 20/20, and we get to be blessed with their wisdom. Also, in our Gameschooling segment, we share The Oregon Trail games that are all the rage in our homes these days.

Just like any creative adventure, in homeschooling, you need a toolbox to make building your dream homeschool life the way you want it! We discuss ten tools with links to make it easy for you to get to work with ease and awe. We also answer the question, “What do you do first thing in the morning during the school year?”

Julie Bogart, author of The Brave Learner and creator of The Brave Writer, came out with a new book this year, Raising Critical Thinkers. We read it and want to share our thoughts on it with you. We also answer the question: What resources or tools can you use to teach logic and critical thinking?

When an experienced homeschool mom with 25 years of experience shares wisdom, perspective, ideas, and homeschool hacks - we listen! In this episode, we interview a long-time friend Kathy about her favorite resources, positive experiences, regrets, and everything in between. Calling all Game-Schoolers! We recommend a few geographical and history themed games that will spice up your history lessons.

Sometimes, to find a deeper joy in homeschooling, you just need to add a little magic! From unique learning adventures like a "Donut Road Trip" to allowing space for a large portion of free time, we provide a fun and creative list of 10 ways to add magic to your homeschool life.

How do you know if your child is ready to start kindergarten? With helpful tips, ideas, and out-of-the-box analysis, we dive into the various ways to determine if your child is ready for this next milestone. We also answer the question, "How do I sign my child up for kindergarten?"

"Where, when, and how do I begin?" Music education can be a daunting endeavor if you don't know where to start or what to do. We ask accomplished musician and owner of US Music Lessons studio the questions that every homeschool family needs to know. Music education makes a huge impact in your child's development and should be a top priority. We also introduce a new segment called "Gameschooling" where we share a few educational music games that will organically grow your child's music language.