Blog
Understanding Dyslexia and Specific Learning Disorder in Reading: A Guide for Parents
Learning to read can feel like magic! But what if it doesn’t happen as easily as expected? Maybe you've read to your child since they were a baby, given them good instruction, and seen them work hard—yet they still struggle with reading. As a parent or teacher, you may start to wonder if your child has dyslexia. Dyslexia is a brain-based challenge, having difficulty with processing language....
What’s in a Label? Is Diagnosis Helpful?
This article was first published on The Canadian Homeschooler. These words are just labels. Beyond the labels are unique children. Each label includes a wide range of abilities with different implications for each child.As a homeschool parent, we may wonder if an assessment and subsequent diagnosis is worth the investment of time and finances and emotions for both the parent and the child. After...
Do Homeschool Students Really Need a Formal Assessment?
Wouldn’t it be great if your child came with a manual or at least an instructional guide? Imagine if this guide could also help you choose which homeschool method would work best for this child or which curriculum would be the perfect fit! An educational screening assessment and/or a psycho-educational assessment can do just that! An assessment will give you a complete profile of your child’s...
What Exactly is a Learning Disability?
If you’re like me, you see all the amazing things your child can do. You saw their zest for life at a young age and their incredible wonder and awe as they discovered the world around them. You expected homeschooling to just be an extension of that. And then, the frustration set in and you witnessed your child shutting down. And you begin to question, “Is this a learning disability”? As...
Unlocking Your Child’s Learning Style: Teaching to Their Unique Strengths
One of the most beautiful gifts we possess as home educators and parents is the ability to teach to the unique learning strengths of our children. Each child is a magnificent individual, brimming with untapped potential, waiting for us to guide them towards fulfilling their dreams. These strengths are their superpowers. They will fall back on these strengths throughout their lifetime, on their...
10 Executive Function Tips For Your Toolbox
We all use executive function strategies and skills each day of our lives. In fact, we use these skills many times over, even before we leave the house for school or work. The minute we open our eyes and glance at the clock, we’re deciding whether we have time to hit the snooze button. Then we choose what clothing is appropriate for the weather. Then we prioritize what to make for breakfast...
Exposing the Unit Study Myths
When someone mentions the word ‘unit study’ do your toes curl? Or do feelings of desire (longing) come flooding your way? Does the very thought of homeschooling with this method seem overwhelming? Or are you intrigued and curious about how to implement unit studies into your homeschool? As I’ve presented this topic in workshops across the country, I get a sense that most homeschool moms would...
The Impact of Anxiety in this Season of Life
It has been 12 anxiety-filled weeks since all of our lives were impacted by a huge shift – schools were shut down, businesses were closed, sports events were cancelled, vacations were disrupted, and we were told to stay home! A sense of panic settled into the atmosphere. None of us, adults or children, could predict the outcome. Hints of anxiety set in our hearts and souls. As adults we’ve tried...
Potential: Reaching for the Sky and Beyond
The following homeschooling blog post, Potential: Reaching for the Sky and Beyond was originally published in The Canadian Homeschool Minute - a division of The Old School House Magazine. Published July 2, 2019. We hold our newborn infant in our arms. With awe and wonder, we marvel at the intricacy of this human being and the miracle of birth. We ponder all that lies ahead for this child; for...
Avoid the Summer Slide!
I know, this title seems rather odd coming from me, the children’s movement advocate! This blog post is not about avoiding the local playground; instead it’s about avoiding the slide of summer learning loss. In 1996, a research study reported the effects of summer vacation on achievement test scores. Since then, it has become widely understood that children lose a lot of ground during the summer...
