Shows
Key 3 EducatorsGIna Prosch on How to be a Vital Part of Your Homeschooling CommunityServing as the leader of a Birth-to-12th grade home education cooperative, Gina Prosch knows what it's like to lead a large and diverse group of families! In addition, she has been a board member of an established home education organization, JCHE. With humor and hard-earned wisdom, Gina shares on topics including, but certainly not limited to:Considerations for starting a cooperativeStrengths and weaknesses of a Birth-12th grade cooperativeInsurance, liability, and non-profit statusPreparing for transitions and avoiding brain-drainAdvantages for children when people build programs togetherWhether you're a new or veteran home educator...
2023-10-0339 minKey 3 EducatorsGina Prosch Unpacks Home Education in One Child Families and Cultivating JoyAre you a "real mom" if you only have one child?Gina Prosch proves you are, in spite of what someone once told her! Artist, speaker, author, teacher, and home educator, Gina shares tremendous insights in today's episode. Our conversation opens with Gina sharing the perspective of what it's like to homeschool in a one-child family. From navigating how to handle friends' siblings to discrediting the idea "onlies" are automatically spoiled, Gina's insights are valuable for every parent. Gina also dives into:What you need to discard as a home educating parentSocializationPreparing...
2023-09-2640 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHello...and HiatusA sign-off episode for the OnlySchoolers Podcast as we take a permanent hiatus.
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2023-02-0211 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: The One Where It All Works OutHere are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston S. Churchill
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
― Leonardo da Vinci
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Fortune befriends the bold.” — Emily Dickinson
“Success isn’t about the end result, it’s about what you learn along the way.”...
2022-12-1527 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: One Thing Leads to AnotherHere are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him the milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw. When he's finished, he'll ask you for a napkin. Then he'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache.” --Laura Numeroff
"'Curiouser and curiouser,' cried Alice." -- Lewis Carroll
"What other function do books have, the great ones, but to change the reader? Book...
2022-12-0128 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Over the River and Through the WoodsHere are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir
“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” —Henri Matisse
“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.” – Albert Einstein
“Nature is pleased with simplicity. And nature is no dummy.” – Sir Isaac Newton
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – L...
2022-11-1732 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Defining EducationHere are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“Education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.” – Einstein
“Learning does not make one learned: there are those who have knowledge and those who have understanding. The first requires memory and the second philosophy.” – Alexandre Dumas
“A man’s mind, stretched by new ideas, may never return to its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
“Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.” – Chinese Proverb
“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” – Margaret Mead
“E...
2022-11-0327 minThe OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: What's for Lunch?Here are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“An army marches on its stomach.” – Napoleon
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world..” – J.R.R. Tolkien
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf
“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” – Jonathan Swift
“Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers.” – Shakespeare
Listen to our What's for Lunch? playlist on Spotify.
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2022-10-2033 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Chaos--A Force for GoodHere are the famous quotations the OnlySchoolers are talking about in this episode.
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.” - Shakespeare
“Awake, chaos; we have napped.” - e.e. cummings
“In all chaos, there is a cosmos, in all disorder, a secret order.” - Carl Jung
“Without order, nothing can exist—without chaos, nothing can evolve.” - Oscar Wilde
“Chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge—even wisdom.” - Toni Morrison
Listen to our Chaos - A Force for Good playlist on Spotify.
Mark Hatmaker Video about Rivers
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2022-10-0631 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers Classic: Books Books & More BooksEvery September, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to write books that express differing ideas and experiences, as well as the freedom to access, choose, and read books that expand our learning.
Here at the OnlySchoolers, we are book lovers. Banned Books Week was last week, but today we’d like to replay this episode from Season 3 where we talk about some of the books we love…and, as it turns out, a fair number of them have been challenged at some point.
What can we say? We like banned books!
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2022-09-2938 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: The Thing About TeensHere's the list of the #QUOTES we're talking about during this episode devoted to Teens.
“Small children disturb your sleep; big children, your life.” - Yiddish proverb
“Little children, headache; big children, heartache.” - Italian proverb.
“The average teenager still has all the faults his parents outgrew.” - Unknown
“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” - e.e. cummings
“That’s what it is to care for a person…if you’re not afraid, you’re not doing it right.” - Jonathan Auxier
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” - Ghandi
"If I Should Have a...
2022-09-1531 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Wanna Go Play?The OnlySchoolers are talking Early Childhood in this episode, and the quotes we're tackling are:
“Play is the work of childhood.” - Jean Piaget
“Play is the work of the child.” - Maria Montessori
“Play is the work of children. It’s very serious stuff.” - Captain Kangaroo
“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning.” - Fred Rogers
“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” - Fred Rogers
“Do not keep children to their studies by compulsion but by play.” - Plato
“It is paradoxica...
2022-09-0137 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: The Cult of BusyHere are the quotes we'll be talking about during this episode of the podcast.
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” - Socrates
“Every man is worth just so much as the things about which he busies himself.” - Marcus Aurelius
"It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. What are we busy about?” - Henry David Thoreau
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” - Ghandi
Check out the OnlySchoolers Cult of Busy playlist on Spotify.
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2022-08-1827 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Setting BoundariesWhat #QUOTES are we talking about this episode?
“Good fences make good neighbors.” - Robert Frost
No is a complete sentence.” - Anne Lamott
“Don’t set yourself on fire trying to keep others warm.” - Penny Reid
“Don’t ever take a fence down until you know the reason it was put up.” - G.K. Chesterton
“Your personal boundaries protect the inner core of your identity and your right to choices.” - Gerard Manley Hopkins
"Not my circus. Not my monkeys." - Polish Proverb
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2022-08-0432 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: Fearless HomeschoolingHere are the quotes we're looking at during this episode:
“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” -- Frederick Buechner
“Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.” -- Benjamin Franklin
“Beware for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” -- Mary Shelley
“The question isn’t about who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” -- Ayn Rand
Check out the OnlySchoolers Fearless Homeschooling Playlist on Spotify!
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2022-07-2127 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You Homeschool#QUOTES: All About the JourneyQuirky and Unusual: the OnlySchoolers Take on Excerpts and Sayings or #QUOTES
"Life is a journey, not a destination." --Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Throughout the centuries, there were men who took first steps down new roads armed with nothing but their own vision." -- Ayn Rand
"Start by doing what is necessary, then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." St. Francis of Assisi
"Not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkien
Check out the OnlySchoolers Journeying Playlist on Spotify!
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2022-07-0731 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: Ownership of EducationDid you guess what this episode was going to be about?
If there's one thing that pretty much sums up the philosophy of the OnlySchoolers, it's Ownership of Education. Find out what it is, why it's so important to our homeschools, and how to make sure your kids are owning their educations, too.
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2022-04-2131 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: Sense of Self & MotivationCan you believe it? Christyn found a couple of essay topics that imply homeschoolers lack a sense of self and motivation!
How crazy is that!?
Tune in to see what the OnlySchoolers have to say about them apples!
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2022-04-0726 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolFive Minutes on the Fifth Thursday: 2022 Guiding Word Check-InGina & Christyn do a quick check-in on their guiding words for 2022: Ready (Gina's word) and Journey (Christyn's word).
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2022-03-3107 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: Tests & TranscriptsThe OnlySchoolers are talking tests & transcripts today.
Helpful Links*:
HSLDA Transcript Service
FastTranscript
How to Homeschool Today Transcript Creator
High School Transcript Template
High School GPA Calculator
High School GPA Calculator
*These links are included for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation.
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2022-03-1731 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: How Has Homeschooling Changed Us?Our kids aren't the only ones who are learning something!
In this episode Gina and Christyn talk about how homeschooling has been a tool for learning and growth for each of them. Three questions they consider are: What lessons did they personally learn as educational facilitators for their kids? What growth did they experience? What insights did they gain about themselves and homeschooling?
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2022-03-0327 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThe OnlySchoolers GrabBag: Books, Books, and MORE BooksChristyn and Gina share some of their all-time favorite reads for readers of all ages.
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2022-02-1738 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: The Words We UseAs parents, we're often telling our kids to "Use your words." The words we use and the way we use them are incredibly important for successful communication.
Join Gina and Christyn as they share their experiences with confusing homeschool jargon, and discuss ways to make sure we're using words that invite and reassure, rather than confuse and overwhelm.
And here's your link to the homeschool terminology web site we mentioned during the show :
https://www.homeschool.com/articles/know-your-homeschool-terminology/
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2022-02-0325 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolOnlySchoolers GrabBag: Failing to SucceedThe OnlySchoolers are kicking off Season 3 with a look at their chosen words for 2022, and then we're moving on to talking about Failing to Succeed....but this episode may not be about what you think it's going to be about :-)
"The Journey" (Mary Oliver)
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2022-01-2032 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Wonder & ZeitgeistThis most wonderful time of the year brings with it the final episode of Season 2! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about the role of wonder in their homeschools and how embracing and encouraging that sense of exploration and awe opens up so many avenues to learning. And each avenue creates its own zeitgeist — the particular mood and feelings you experience at specific points in your homeschool journey. Each one of those zeitgeist periods bridges to the next one, and they're all paved with wonder...as a noun and a verb!Links:Gina and Christyn ta...
2021-12-0230 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Being Unafraid & VulnerableAs homeschoolers, we are used to going our own way and are generally unafraid to do what we know is best for our children — it's the nature of homeschooling! Sometimes, though, these choices leave us vulnerable to criticism from outsiders and surprisingly, vulnerable to our own critical inner voices, as well. Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about the ways in which they've fearlessly homeschooled, and the vulnerabilities they experienced along the way.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-11-1828 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Tradition & TrailblazingAs homeschoolers, we are all blazing a trail with our children...but we are all also creating new traditions as we go. Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about the new paths they've taken, the traditions that have emerged, and the balance they find in between new and old ideas as they homeschool.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-11-0432 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Satisfactory & SubstantialCan something that's "just" satisfying be truly substantial when it comes to homeschooling? Absolutely! Something that is satisfying can be gratifying and exactly right for your kids — and that can lead to substantial learning. Gina and Christyn share how you can have an absolutely satisfactory learning experience and relationship that meets your needs AND is meaningful and significant. Satisfaction guaranteed!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-10-2126 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Rebellion & RegretRegrets. Just like Frank says in the song, we've all had a few in life and in our homeschools and we can use those regrets to spur change and growth. And even though it's not part of the song, we've all experienced a bit of rebellion in our homeschools, too. Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about how ownership of education goes a long way toward keeping pushback to a minimum, and a few tips they've picked up over the years to defuse challenging attitudes. Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZ...
2021-10-0731 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Paradigms & PerseveranceIf a paradigm is an example or practice that constitutes your reality, what do you do when the educational paradigm shifts? Embrace it! That's the best part of homeschooling because it opens up new opportunities for your child to succeed. Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about shifting paradigms in the homeschool and and the perseverance needed to get through the challenges and difficulties that life and homeschool inevitably bring. Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-09-3029 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About... Ordinary & OpportunityIf you look closely, there's a certain magic to an ordinary day, don't you think? Join Gina and Christyn as they explore how "ordinary" is anything but boring — and in fact, can be quite extraordinary! In this episode, they share they use those ordinary days as a moment to realize how wonderful the little moments are. Within those ordinary days, they also show you how to take advantage of all the ways homeschooling opens up fantastic learning opportunities and just simple ways to connect with your kid. If you're feeling boring and predictable lately, don't worry: listen in as th...
2021-09-1725 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolFive Minutes on the First Thursday: Sept 2021 — The Hardest Things About Homeschooling an Only ChildBack in July, Gina and Christyn shared their favorite things about homeschooling an only child. Today, as they flip the script and give you a "Five Minutes on the Fifth Thursday" (but on a First Thursday!), they take a look at the hardest things they've experienced in onlyschooling. From only using a curriculum once to listening to *all* the questions, they share a few of the challenges they've encountered on their homeschool journeys...it's not always easy, but it's always worth it!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-09-0208 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Narration & NoiseYou know about narration as an educational tool, but have you ever thought about applying the tenets of narration to your homeschool story? How would paying attention to the details of your day help you create a more truthful narrative of how your homeschool goals are playing out? Would you see the successes that are sometimes overshadowed by the more difficult moments? Gina and Christyn tackle this theme, as well as discuss how physical and mental/emotional noise can interfere with our days and affect our homeschool narratives.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button...
2021-08-1934 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Moodiness & MysteryWe've all been there: a moody day can be a challenge as we homeschool. Listen along as Gina and Christyn share their best tips for getting through the broody-moody times and salvage the day — they're here to tell you it's possible! They also chat about the mysteries of homeschool and how following the clues is the best path to solving them.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-08-0534 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolFive Minutes on the Fifth Thursday: July 2021Homeschooling an only child is the only "normal" Gina and Christyn have ever known. Listen in as they discuss their favorite things about onlyschooling.1:50 Allowing child-led experience and ownership of education can be simpler: it's the ultimate private school3:45 Flexibility with curriculum; and if you hit a roadblock in learning, you can just stop for a while5:23 The logistics of extracurricular activities and learning opportunities are easierSupport the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-07-2908 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Labels & ListeningWe use labels all the time as a quick shorthand to frame and focus our ideas. But how helpful are labels when it comes to identifying ourselves, our homeschools, and our kids? And how can looking past those labels and listening with all of our senses make a huge difference in our relationships? Join Gina and Christyn as they dive into these homeschool themes and talk about how they use labels and multi-sensory listening.1:35 Gina and Christyn give updates on their 2021 word/phrase3:57 Labels help us frame and focus ideas4:40 Labels can be helpful in comm...
2021-07-1530 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Keeping & KleptomaniaIt's the time of year when new opportunities and new goals — and maybe new pressures — are everywhere around us! How do you create focus so you don’t get overwhelmed? In simple terms, keep what you need and what you know works and when you need something more, steal ideas and make them your own. Listen in as Gina and Christyn offer their best ideas for being a keeper AND a homeschool kleptomaniac!4:34 When we think of "keeping," we're talking about keeping records, keeping a schedule, and keeping your relationship in a positive place. W...
2021-07-0131 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Jealousy & JoyYou've probably heard Theodore Roosevelt's saying that "Comparison is the thief of joy." Join Gina and Christyn as they discuss the challenge of overcoming the green-eyed monster when it shows up in their homeschools. The good news is that just looking for the little joys that come with this lifestyle is enough to overcome the jealousy and keep the focus on the wonder that comes with lifelong learning!2:12 The focus of the OnlySchoolers is to provide a joyful, uplifting show, but we're also honest enough to admit there are hard things about homeschooling: one of those hard th...
2021-06-1727 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Imagination & IndividualityWhen we homeschool, we're given creative license to design the education that best suits our children. And that's where Imagination and Individuality come into play! Listen along as we talk about how we've turned expectations upside down and found learning in unexpected places...which perfectly fit our unique kids!Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-06-0329 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Human Nature & HumorWe're back...with lots of laughs! Join us as we talk about how accepting our human nature and injecting humor into our days is vital to a happy and productive homeschool!2:22 Gina discusses human nature with a reference to Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Q continuum3:36 Human nature includes eating, drinking, resting, as well as play, curiosity, and communication4:32 When it comes to homeschooling, ignore these things at your own peril! But acknowledging and incorporating them into your day creates wonder and acceptance4:45 We discuss how food, drink, and rest...
2021-05-2029 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Growth & GraceIt's springtime and the Easter season -- which means it's the perfect time to talk about Growth and Grace. In this episode Gina and Christyn talk about the different types of growth -- delayed growth, unexpected growth, and slow and steady growth -- affect homeschooling. And, when all else fails, they encourage you to give yourself (and your kids) a little grace on your homeschooling adventure.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-04-1528 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Frustration & FaithSometimes waiting for spring can be frustrating, especially after a long and cold winter. But spring always comes, doesn't it? It's the same way with homeschooling — we feel frustrated over things we don't have the ability to change, but if we just hold on, those changes eventually happen exactly when they're supposed to. If this is you, settle in and listen to Gina and Christyn discuss how they handle the frustrations that pop up in their lives, and how faith in the process of homeschooling helps them overcome those feelings."Don't Worry" by Mary OliverSupport th...
2021-04-0125 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Empowerment & EncouragementIn this episode, Gina and Christyn talk about what empowers and encourages them as homeschooling parents and how they, in turn, empower and encourage their kids to feel capable and own their education. When you're more confident as a home educator, you become a better learning partners for your kids!
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2021-03-1827 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Disappointment & DoubtGina and Christyn tackle two common themes for anyone who's homeschooled more than thirty minutes: disappointment and doubt. Every homeschooling family has experienced moments, seasons, or even full school years of doubt or disappointment -- or sometimes both at once! Most often the culprit is unmet expectations -- so listen along to see how they address these issues in their homeschools and strengthen their emotional weightlifting capabilities at the same time.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=KESW6393PZFRL)
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2021-03-0430 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About...Common Sense & ConnectionsWe think you may be able to hear the charms on Gina's necklace or earrings jingling at a few points in the podcast. Sorry! We'll be sure to go jewelry free next time. :-) Gina and Christyn take on the themes of Common Sense and Connection in this episode! Laugh along with their anecdotes of developing common sense in their homeschools and hear how making connections -- with learning, with life, with people -- is at the heart of homeschooling.3:58 Discussion of the importance of common sense and connection in homeschooling4:41 Gina's anecdotes about common...
2021-02-1926 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About… Bravery and BelongingWith February being the longest month of the homeschool year, there's plenty of time to dive deep into two key themes for home educators: Bravery and Belonging. Join Gina and Christyn as they discuss their big and small moments of brave action in homeschooling, and how the idea of belonging can sometimes be a stumbling block...until you find your people.1:55 Recap of Episode 1 and the new insights into autonomy Christyn and Gina uncovered3:42 Paying attention to to what fulfills us as parents makes us more interesting educational partners for our kids5:16 Gina thin...
2021-02-0424 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThinking About… Autonomy and AttentionGina and Christyn start the new season discussing two themes that help frame the story of their homeschools: autonomy and attention. Join them for a conversation about how they find the ability to act on their own values and beliefs as they home educate, and how attention plays a huge role in their homeschool autonomy.0:50 New OnlySchoolers website: http://onlyschoolers.com/ New Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/onlyschoolers2:15 Gina gives an update on "flourish" for 20214:00 Framing conversations around themes will lead to a deeper understanding of home education, even for veteran ho...
2021-01-2128 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHappy New Year!! With Party FavorsYour intrepid OnlySchoolers are checking in with a brief Happy New Year episode with some party favors2:06 Gina describes how she approaches each new year with a focus word that can be used as a noun and a verb. For 2021, that word is FLOURISH3:35 Christyn approaches each new year with a guiding quote, verse, or poem. For this year, she chose a Jane Austen quote: "Run mad as often as you wish, but do not faint."6:30 A sneak peek at the plans for Season 2, where Gina and Christyn will choose a couple of broad...
2021-01-0708 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolA Few of Our Favorite Things: Christmas with the OnlySchoolersThe holidays are in full swing and that means it's time to pull out favorite movies, bake up delicious treats, dance in the kitchen to Christmas music, and just generally have a whole month of celebration -- made even more special when it includes those special touches that make it meaningful to our families. Join Gina and Christyn as they talk all things holiday at their homes and share recipes and traditions that make this the happiest time of the year for them!1:31 Gina and Christyn talk favorite Christmas recipes, songs, movies, books, gift-giving ideas, and traditions
2020-12-0336 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHomeschooling Through the Holidays...Without Losing Your Mind'Twas the month before Christmas and all through the land, parents are trying to homeschool through the holidays without losing their minds! Okay, that doesn't rhyme, but it's the reality for many homeschooling families this time of year. Join Gina and Christyn as they share their holiday homeschooling plans and outline three easy steps to truly enjoy this most wonderful time of the year.5:04 If you're overextended and exhausted through the holidays, it's that much harder to gear up and get back to school in January5:18 Three basic steps to holiday homeschooling:1) Manage expectations2...
2020-11-1924 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolThe Attitude of Gratitude: Being at Home with a Grateful HeartWith Thanksgiving just around the corner, Gina and Christyn tackle the topic of cultivating an attitude of gratitude in their homes. From their personal habits to fun ideas for for family "thankfulness" activities, this episode will have you agreeing that "Joy is the simplest form of gratitude." (Karl Barth)1:29 Celebrate Guy Fawkes Day with a fun -- and free! -- poetry teatime downloadhttps://www.patreon.com/posts/guy-fawkes-day-435541282:35 Gina and Christyn both have a low-key approach to their Thanksgiving traditions5:27 These three main topics will help you keep that thankful feeling goi...
2020-11-0525 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolYou've Got Questions....We've Got AnswersJoin Gina and Christyn for the first-ever OnlySchoolers Podcast Q & A! With questions ranging from ways to fill the long days to the role of dads and other adults in your homeschool, Gina and Christyn offer helpful hints and answers -- and funny stories about honeybees and ants! 2:01 Question: How do you fill all the hours with an activity-driven child?3:49 Christyn's suggestions include read-alouds, board games, some scheduled activities like walks to the park or library. Have a loose routine and be sure to get out of the house sometimes6:20 Gina schedules at least one thing outside t...
2020-10-1529 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolConfronting Your Fears: Common Homeschool Worries… and How to Scare Them AwayIt's October, but Gina and Christyn have a treat -- no tricks! -- for you: their best ideas on how to quash the worries that all homeschoolers -- even veteran homeschoolers! -- have about themselves, their kids, and their way of educating. They tackle all the fears, from wondering if "Am I enough?" to "Will my kid be weird?" with personal anecdotes and lots of humour!3:25 Common homeschool fears. We've all been there4:16 The worries come in three main categories:1) Worries about me2) Worries about my kids3) Worries about their education6:25 In the fi...
2020-10-0126 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHere’s Looking at You, Kid: Movies and Television As CurriculumLights -- Camera -- Action! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk about all the ways that visual media -- television shows, movies, documentaries -- are taking front and center stage in their homeschools. From basic use to total immersion in visual media, they show you how you can incorporate movies and television to create a richer learning experience.3:07 When we use movies and TV as curriculum, which is an under-utilized educational method, we go way beyond the old-school "movie day" concept3:30 You don't have to ADD visual media to the curricululm -- visual media ca...
2020-09-1727 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHappy Labor Day! The Role of Life Skills in a Homeschool CurriculumIt's Labor Day weekend, so Gina and Christyn have work-related stuff on tap, specifically as it relates to teaching life skills in their homeschools. There are so many opportunities in a homeschool environment to practice the life skills that will be necessary long after formal education ends.1:37 There are so many ways to naturally incorporate life skills, also known as practical arts, into homeschool2:06 Life skills include many things you don't necessarily learn in school, but that are so necessary to navigating life2:30 Three types of life skills discussed1) Life skills at home...
2020-09-0329 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolMoney Can’t Buy Happiness… But School Supplies Are Pretty CloseCan't buy me love...but I'll take a black Ticonderoga pencil! Join Gina and Christyn as they talk school supply shopping with a twist...homeschool-style. From traditional supplies to teacher supplies to those "Are you sure THIS is a school supply?" supplies, they offer their best ideas for this summertime rite of passage that, yes, homeschoolers can have, too.1:25 Gina and Christyn invite you to submit your burning homeschool questions for the October 15 episode2:07 One of Christyn's first questions as a homeschooler was "Do I still get to shop for school supplies?"3:00 Homeschool suppli...
2020-08-2026 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolCome to the Fair: Finding Your Homeschool GroupsThere's nothing like a fair to bring a lot of fun together in a single package. Grab a cotton candy or corndog and join Gina and Christyn as they talk about how homeschool groups and activities can be just like going to the fair -- and be just as much fun!2:04 A fair always has food and drinks for nourishment, games and rides for fun and thrills, and exhibit halls for learning. 2:28 Homeschool groups bring those same elements together to create a rich learning environment for homeschool kids3:47 Organized groups are the "nourishment" for the...
2020-08-0628 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolFive Minutes on the Fifth Thursday: Book ListsSo...we lied...it's really about 7 minutes, but hey -- we were talking about books and book lists! And really, five -- or even seven minutes -- is not nearly long enough to talk books!Take a listen to hear about how we use booklists and which authors/books are not our favorites.1:06 Christyn likes to use bookslists to find new reads, especially when she can't get to the library to browse shelves1:41 Anne Vogel at "Modern Mrs. Darcy" (blog/podcast) curates awesome lists that Christyn always browses through. Currently, Christyn is reading food memo...
2020-07-3007 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolPermission Granted: Make Your Homeschool Make Sense For YouJoin Gina and Christyn for part two of their July series about declaring homeschool independence. In this episode, they invite you to take the next step and embrace the freedom of homeschooling. Make the choices that make sense for YOUR family --- permission granted!1:48 Christyn and Gina talk about the moments they each embraced their freedom as a parent to make the decisions that made sense to them and their children6:25 Three areas of homeschool freedom. You have permission to:1) Decide what classes are best for your children2) Prioritize activities over classes when pla...
2020-07-1626 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHomeschool Independence: Make It Your OwnIt's July and that means backyard BBQs, watermelon, and fireworks! Join Gina and Christyn as they explore the idea of homeschool independence and offer a few ideas on how you can take the step to declaring it for your own homeschool. No dumping tea into the harbor necessary!TECHNICAL NOTE: We always work to provide you with a clear listening experience, but because of a weird technical issue, there is a bit of wonky audio from about the 2:41 mark through 3:14 -- we promise it clears up!3:56 Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states; there a...
2020-07-0224 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHow Does Your Garden Grow?: Nurturing a Learning EnvironmentIt’s summertime in our area and gardens are growing! Join Gina and Christyn as they discuss a different kind of garden: the homeschool garden. See how the same things that nurture a plant garden apply to educating your kids, allowing them to flourish. Go on…get your hands dirty!
1:10 Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? Gardening as a metaphor for homeschool
2:06 Homeschool garden basics
1) Determine your garden type
2) Figure out what you’re going to plant
3) Think about what helps it grow
4) Don’t forget about weeds and pests
2:46 Just as there...
2020-06-1826 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolI Love It When A Plan Comes Together: Putting the Final Touches on a New School YearOne school year is winding down…and it’s just about time to start thinking about the next one! In Episode 5, Gina and Christyn help you think about ways to plan your school year. From Big Picture planning to the focus on details to fun tools and supplies, take a listen to see how you, too, can ”love it when a plan comes together.”
1:30 Homeschool planning like the A-Team: “I love it when a plan comes together.”
2:50 Three easy steps: Big Picture Planning, Nuts-and-Bolts focused planning, fun tools and supplies
3:02 Christyn talks about using the “What’s next?”...
2020-06-0434 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolTime to Stop? Maybe…Maybe Not...: Different Approaches to the Homeschool yearIn Episode 4, Gina and Christyn discuss the idea of homeschooling year-round…or not…or creating a hybrid calendar that suits your family and lifestyle. So many options! What are the advantages and concerns of year-round homeschooling? Listen in as Gina and Christyn talk about the lifestyle of learning and the delight in taking a refreshing “iced tea break” in your homeschool year.
1:38 We enjoy rich conversations at the rink…until the kids come off the ice for a break
2:12 The idea of homeschooling year-round or finding a spot to take our own refreshment break
3:03 Homeschools are not tied to the...
2020-05-2127 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolNo Report Card? No Problem: A Different Rubric for Measuring Growth1:35 -- It’s report card time
1:44 -- Gina’s & Christyn's report card memories
4:56 -- Homeschoolers often have a different rubric for measuring growth and a report card might not be necessary
6:00 -- Gina defines rubric in a traditional, classroom sense: strictly judging a student’s work
7:33 -- Albert Einstein and the fish in a tree
8:00 -- Gina’s flower analogy: “flowers bloom when they bloom”
9:35 -- Holding kids to a rigid measure is not realistic and/or desirable; it can lead to faulty judgement about ability
10:48 -- Do...
2020-05-0732 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolFive Minutes on the Fifth Thursday - How Do We UnwindIn this bonus episode, Gina and Christyn talk about their favorite ways to unwind.
0:18 - Welcome to the Episode
0:45 - What is Five Minutes on the Fifth Thursday
1:07 - Topic of the Day: How do we unwind?
1:25 - How Gina unwinds
2:25 - What are Christyn's favorite stress busters
3:41 - Links to show notes
4:05 - Take time to unwind in your favorite way
Tea Christyn is enjoying right now:
Harney & Sons Malachi McCormick
Harney & Sons Emerald Isle
Books Christyn is reading right now:
A Room...
2020-04-3004 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolWill It Count?: Homeschooling Doesn’t Look Like “School” at HomeIn Episode Two, co-hosts Gina and Christyn help you figure out how to think outside the box when school moves off the beaten path and it feels like education has taken a back seat. They assure you it hasn’t! By using the two Magic Questions, you can relax, knowing that learning has taken place – you just have to change the context.
1:10 – Will it blend?
2:15 – When homeschool moves off the beaten path, we often question “Will it count?”
3:44 – Education happens around us all the time
4:04 – Gina’s “a-ha!” moment about homeschooling: birdwatching
7:2...
2020-04-1632 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolHomeschooling Through Chaos: Channeling GoldilocksIn Episode One, co-hosts Gina and Christyn offer up some strategies for Homeschooling Through Chaos, like we’ve experienced worldwide with the COVID-19 pandemic. So what do you do when everything turns sideways? Gina and Christyn have some easy strategies you can put into place.
01:04 - The last two weeks have been quite a ride.
03:28 - Homeschooling through chaos means channeling your inner Goldilocks.
05:05 - Chaos can original from many different places or in different ways.
05:45 - Christyn’s best advice for dealing with a chaotic time in life
07:47 - Th...
2020-04-0231 min
The OnlySchoolers Podcast: Helping You HomeschoolEpisode 0: Welcome to the RinkIn Episode Zero, co-hosts Gina and Christyn are both OnlySchoolers — our word for what we do, which is homeschool our only children. So we’re here, putting our years of experience to work for you. Our goal is to support you on your homeschool journey — to help you foster relationships and create unique learning opportunities for each child in your homeschool.
01:20 - Welcome to the virtual ice rink
03:34 - Falling down means getting back up!
04:55 - Christyn talks about her home school philosophy
08:00 - School like it’s a Starbucks order
08...
2020-03-1919 min