Is it true? Are we all smart? The answer, believe it or not, is YES! Does that surprise you? If your experience in school was to convince you of the exact opposite, you may want to keep reading. . . Today begins a series of tutorials on my History Revealed…

If you’ve ever watched the Food Network show, Chopped, you know that one of the most important elements the judges consider is presentation. Without that, your tasty dish loses some of its value. And, yet, a tomato tastes like a tomato, regardless of how it looks, right?  So, why go…

 Last week in this series, we considered the importance of a first impression when introducing our students to an academic subject, or, in this case, a historical era. We looked at how to make this initial introduction through an auditory, visual, and kinesthetic experience, and how this brings a sense…

If you think back to your days in a classroom, can you remember the kid that was always fidgeting? And, what about the one who was always talking? You probably noticed the studious types who knew every answer in English, history or science class, and the gregarious types who knew…

If you were only allowed one kind of taste in your cooking, which one would it be? Categories of Taste You’ve probably taught your kids about the four basic taste categories in food—sweet, sour, salt, and bitter.  (Note: There is a fifth and sixth category, too—umami and piquant— but kids…

  The art of storytelling has been valued for millennia. From tribal peoples to Hollywood producers, telling a good story is one of the most powerful means of teaching the next generation.  Stories well told capture our minds, inspire our hearts, provide a model, and occasionally tickle our funny bone,…

Language is one of our greatest gifts, showering us with a richness of communication, of thoughts and ideas, of new horizons and ancient peoples, of beauty and tragedy, of redemption and deliverance. How shallow life would be if we were limited to mere grunts and gestures! Can you imagine? How…

I love seeing whales and birds in the wild, even though it requires a lot of patience. . .and a good pair of binoculars. But, just being in the right place at the right time with a good pair of binoculars does not necessarily ensure success. Why? Because binoculars have to be in…

Here’s a question for you: How do we engage our kids’ self-motivation? Do you remember what it was like to walk into a classroom where you were expected to sit still, listen quietly, take notes, read the chapter, and take a test? It seldom actually engaged your interest or invited…

Let’s talk about talking, shall we? Have you noticed that some people are “natural” talkers? They effortlessly put together words and ideas whenever the opportunity arises. For these people, whether young or old, discussion is easy, free-flowing, and not always deeply considered. They simply say whatever comes into their minds…

Homeschoolers have traditionally used the library. However, so much has changed in the digital world that you may be wondering if it’s worth the hassle to pack up the kids, drive to the library, and then deal with all of the books that flood into your home! I think the…

Many years ago, we had a basset hound named Max (think sleepy dog, drooping eyes, and s-l-o-w motion). There were only two things that got Max’s attention and caused him to hustle—food and the scent of a rabbit. At that point, we lived in a somewhat rural area, with wooded…

Have you ever been talking with friends, and had the sudden uncomfortable sensation of not understanding what they were talking about? What happened? What caused the change from enjoying a conversation to being baffled? It’s probably the vocabulary. Any field of interest, such as music, chemistry, French cooking, or football,…

You may be a big fan of timelines, you may be intimidated by them, or you may not have even run across this concept yet. Wherever you are on the spectrum, timelines play a significant role in helping your students to organize the things they are learning about in history,…

Recently, one of the students in my online world history classes chose to share with her class about the geography of Egypt. What was so exciting to me was her enthusiasm for what she had learned. She literally emailed to say: “I would love to show what I have been…