Simple Wonders

Sentence diagramming, learning the technical terms for parts of language, direct writing instruction... does it REALLY work? NO!The way most of us have been taught grammar -- sentence diagramming, direct instruction, separate writing classes -- isn't actually effective in making us better writers. In fact, it can create paralysis for some people (like me!) and make writing WORSE.So how should we teach writing and grammar? In this video I summarize years of research in writing and grammar and discuss how it should be taught. Next, I talk about the stages of writing and how each stage builds on the next. Most importantly, I combine Charlotte Mason's methods/philosophy with current teaching methods to meet your child where they're at and confidently teach writing and grammar at home. 📺 watch the YouTube Video⬇️LINKSStudy on Grammar InstructionMore research and professional adviceKnow and Tell by Karen GlassThe Writing Revolution 2.0 Patterns of Power by Jeff AndersonGrammar Lessons _____👩‍🏫MEMBERSHIP (PATREON)If you want to dive deeper and see how these methods are applied with real kids, my membership is only $5/month:

Teaching math can be DAUNTING. Parents considering homeschool may doubt their ability to teach math if they don't have a degree in math or teaching. But you can do it! And in this video I'll show you how. I share research-based teaching methods that you can use with any curriculum, some basics on how to teach math in a way that is developmentally appropriate, as well as my preferred curriculum (Charlotte Mason Elementary Arithmetic series) that I've been using for 6 years now. I'll also share my favorite books, games, and other resources I've found essential for teaching math. How to Teach Math at Home blogpost:https://simplewonders.org/2025/04/10/how-to-teach-math-at-home-using-charlotte-masons-methods/YouTube Video:https://youtu.be/7kiWjFRrQWI

Charlotte Mason used a lot of "living" books to teach history. It makes sense since she considered it the "pivot" upon which her whole curriculum turned. So, which books did she recommend? And how did she use them? What purpose did they serve? In this video I discuss the different books that Charlotte used in her schools  and how to use them, as well as my family's favorite living history books!A SPINE is an overview of a historical period. It could be 10 years or 100 years. The main purpose is to give a birds-eye view of that period. A BIOGRAPHY was used to focus on a person, from birth to death. It could be a famous person (like an inventor, musician, or politician) or a common person. The point is for kids to form an relationship with a person from that time period and step into their shoes for a time. I like to also use "biographies" of buildings as well (I show you some of my favorites in the video). A HISTORICAL FICTION helps kids jump into that time period by capturing their imagination through story. Historical fictions add details where we don't have any. The help bring everything together. These are the true living books of history. They can be written in recent years (like Prairie Lotus) or written about that time period during that time period (like Little Women). Watch this as a video: https://youtu.be/JcPxXzklfw0____📚Click on the link below and I'll send you my family's FAVORITE US history books!https://simple-wonders.kit.com/93ef17ee0e____AMAZON STOREFRONT https://tinyurl.com/bdhka2ctPATREON (my membership -- only $5/month) https://www.patreon.com/SimpleWonders557?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creatorWEBSITEwww.simplewonders.org

Books and primary sources aren't the only tools we should use when teaching history. Timelines, century charts, and the Charlotte Mason's signature "Book of Centuries" are all tools to help our kids grasp the abstract concept of time. In this video I share the tools I use to help my kids keep track of the many centuries (and people and events!) we learn about in history. Not only that, time is an abstract concept for kids, they need a strong foundation in how time works to fully understand how long a century is (not to mention a millennium!). I share how I lay this foundation from first grade so they're read to use timelines and their book of centuries. What I love about Charlotte Mason's Book of Centuries is that its a melting pot of all the subjects. A place where the child can draw pictures and mark down dates from literature to geography to music. This is the place where magic happens --- connections are made, patterns are discovered, and ideas are born. If you'd like to purchase these charts I've made, they're available on my website (coming soon!): If you're a member of Patreon expect to get my PDF charts this month 🎉 Membership is only $5 and you get all kinds of goodies, like my personal lesson plans, mini-podcast episodes, and more! https://patreon.com/SimpleWonders557?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink The Book of Centuries is from Riverbend Press: https://www.riverbendpress.com/shop/p/book-of-centuries #homeschool #charlottemasoneducation #homeeducation #howtoteachhistory #ushistory #historytimelines #teachingtools

When it comes to teaching history homeschool parents have a lot of decisions to make -- Should I study US or world history? At what age should a child begin learning about history? There is SO MUCH history, where do I begin? How do I teach it? How do I choose a curriculum or how can I make my own? 🤯 In this video I go over why we should teach history and how Charlotte Mason taught it in her schools. Teaching history to kids of the same age is different than teaching it to a variety of ages, so I share my experience teaching it family-style at home with my 4 kids. There are many ways to approach history, but I've adjusted Charlotte Mason's method to fit the needs of my family. I hope you find answers to your questions and idea to implement in your own home! In future videos I'll share:📚 my favorite living history books📆 the notebooks and "things" we use to enrich our history lessons _________ Click on the link below to watch this episode as a video: https://youtu.be/rRHxNHS9ees AMAZON STOREFRONT https://tinyurl.com/bdhka2ct PATREON https://www.patreon.com/SimpleWonders557?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator WEBSITE www.simplewonders.org #homeeducation #homeschooling #homeschool #howtoteachkidsathome #history #charlottemason

You've heard about nature notebooking (AKA journaling) or seen some beautiful shots of children's nature journals. But you have reservations... Your kids are not artistic (and neither are you!). It seems so simple, is it really worth my time? How do I encourage and inspire my kids to record in their notebooks? Nature notebooking is your child’s first science notebook. They learn how to wonder, observe, record, and make connections. These skills are essential for success in future STEM subjects. Nature study is truly the foundation of science. But most importantly it develops lifelong learning habits and an eye for beauty. In this video I talk about the principles and how to begin nature notebooking – the supplies you’ll need, what it looks like in real life (I’ll show you samples of my boys’ notebooks), and some troubleshooting in case your child isn’t as enthusiastic as you are! ⬇️ LINKS ⬇️ YOUTUBE VIDEO PATREON MY FAVORITE NATURE STUDY SUPPLIES SIMPLEWONDERS.ORG

Nature study is one of the most important subjects in developing the mind and heart! For this reason it is my FAVORITE subject to teach. It is one of the reasons I was drawn to Charlotte Mason's method of education. In this episode I briefly discuss the principles behind nature study and how I teach it at home with 3 simple steps -- weekly nature walk, object lesson, and nature notebook. Over the next few episodes I will go into detail about each one of these steps. For now, I hope you get a general idea of what it looks like and (hopefully) some excitement to begin! ____ YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/KdiFG5w6EMA

In this episode I get to chat with my friend and fellow homeschool mamma, Havalah Turner.  Grammar and writing can be terrifying subjects for homeschoolers. We either overdo it with stacks of worksheets, or we don’t teach it all.   But there is a better way! Writing is simply putting thoughts down on paper, and grammar is playing with words and finding the clearest and most beautiful way to convey those ideas.  And in this episode we talk about exactly that – how to encourage your kids to write down their ideas (i.e. narrations!) and some ideas of how to teach grammar in a way that is playful and useful.  Some topics we cover:  Grammar instruction, Copia, The Writing Revolution, The Brave Writer, Institute For Excellence in Writing, Know and Tell, written narration, composition.  Links The Writing Revolution by Judith Hochman and Natalie Wexler Know and Tell by Karen Glass But How Do You Teach Writing? By Barry Lane The Writing Thief by Ruth Culham Grammar Matters and Should Be Taught Differently Teaching Grammar in the 21st Century Playing With Words: AKA Grammar | However Imperfectly

How do I teach handwriting? My child has dyslexia -- will Charlotte Mason's method work for him/her? How can I encourage a reluctant writer? ____ In this episode I invite Penny Gardner to help me answer these questions and more! Charlotte Mason taught handwriting, grammar, spelling, and writing through a simple method called "copywork." We discuss why this is such a powerful tool and how to make it more appealing for reluctant writers. We also discuss if CM's method works for kids with dyslexia. ____ Penny Gardner has over 20 years of experience homeschooling her six children who are now adults. After teaching her own children at home, Penny worked in public and charter schools, with a Level 2 Utah teaching license. She spoke at homeschool conferences and created Italics, Beautiful Handwriting for Children. She participated in the 2011 Summer Writing Institute, part of the Central Utah Writing Project. She then taught summer writing camps on the BYU campus for 10 years. You can find her handwriting curriculum and her other resources on her website https://pennygardner.com/italics/https://pennygardner.com/italics/ _____ PATREON AMAZON STOREFRONT  INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

In this episode I have a conversation with Julie Ross, founder of A Gentle Feast. We discuss the different ideas of teaching reading (AKA "The Reading Wars"), the pros and cons of each, and the research on reading. We also discuss why Charlotte Mason's method of teaching reading was so ingenious and effective! _____ Julie has been teaching for almost two decades in various educational settings including public elementary school, private Christian school, and a university model homeschool academy. She was the co-founder of two of those schools utilizing my expertise in curriculum and organizational leadership. She created the scopes and sequences for these schools and created my own original curriculum for several classes. She has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Penn State University. She created A Gentle Feast because that’s what she wished she had when she first began homeschooling her children. When she’s not busy homeschooling, doing laundry, or reading, she can be found painting Goodwill furniture or buying more books on Amazon. The Feast Life Podcast _____ LINKS PATREON INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

“In this time of extraordinary pressure—educational and social—perhaps a mother’s first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time" -Charlotte Mason, Home Education "What should I do with my preschool-age kids to make sure they're ready for school?" "Which preschool/kindergarten curriculum should I use?" "My first grader keeps getting in trouble at school. He's so wiggly and disruptive. What should I do?" The Early Years, the stage from birth to six years old, is a special time of immense growth -- both physically, mentally, and emotionally. And because of this they require a totally different educational approach than school-age children. What do young kids actually need from adults and how can we best provide a "quiet growing time?" I'll answer those questions and more in this episode. __ (03:10 - 04:35) Early Childhood Development Priorities (07:48 - 09:53) Analyzing Trends in Early Childhood Education (11:50 - 13:41) Parental Attachment Impacts Child's Mental Health (18:17 - 20:25) Sensory Development in Children (25:47 - 27:12) Balancing Formal Lessons With Child-Led Learning (28:08 - 29:11) Importance of Quiet Growing Time (34:47 - 36:07) Benefits of Outdoor Play for Children (42:41 - 43:39) Early Years Development Guide and Activities __ Become a Patreon Member for only $5/month The Early Years Guide Preschool + Kindergarten at Home | YouTube

Every parent and teacher should have a philosophy of education, or a set of principles, that drives their behavior and choices. Do you know what yours are? In this episode I go over Charlotte Mason's 20 principles (or 19, in this case) that she spent decades considering and applying. I have found so much peace and confidence in considering and adopting these principles as my own. As an end to season one I'm sharing these principles along with my own "narration" or paraphrasing of what they mean. If you don't have a conscious set of principles that guide your behavior and choices then you will failure from overwhelm, confusion, and lack of direction. Consider the following principles in this episode and use them as a starting point for your own. Do you agree with each one? If not, why? Which ones will you adopt? How will this principle affect your future choices? ____ LINKS Family Travelogue Videos 20 Principles How Children Succeed by Paul Tough The Marshmallow Experiment Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown et al Unselfie by Michele Borba Punished by Rewards by Alife Kohn _____ LEARN MORE PATREON INSTAGRAM ⁠AMAZON STOREFRONT⁠  WEBSITE

Charlotte Mason said that lessons should be based on living books and real things. But how do we use these materials once we have them? Create activities? Quizzes? Lectures? In this episode I discuss what we do with books and real things -- three methods that are time-tested and backed by science. Along with some teaching and learning methods that are frequently used, but aren't actually effective. Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown ___ PATREON INSTAGRAM WEBSITE

If you've been in the homeschooling realm for long you've probably heard the term "living books." This is a term coined by Charlotte Mason, and has become extremely widespread, for good reason. Living books put the flesh on the dry bones of fact. Mason boldly stated that " "no education seems to be worth the name which has not made children at home in the world of books, and so related them, mind to mind, with thinkers who have dealt with knowledge. We reject epitomes, compilations, and their like, and put into children’s hands books which, long or short, are living.”  (Charlotte Mason, School Education, p. 226) Today I'm speaking with book enthusiast Amber O'Neal Johnston of Heritage Mom all about living books -- what they are, why they're so important, and how we can use them build a rich heritage in our homes. ______ Amber O’Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and worldschooling Charlotte Mason mama who blends life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she’s known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog (IG). Amber is also the author of A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds to raise kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world. LINKS Redeeming Reader Stories of Color

Why don't my children enjoy school? How can I increase their curiosity and desire to learn? What kind of subjects should I teach and how should I present them? In this episode I discuss these questions and how they relate to the last instrument of education (and my personal favorite): LIFE. In Charlotte Mason's 20 principles she says: "in saying 'education is a life,' the need of intellectual and moral as well as of physical sustenance is implied. The mind feeds on ideas, and therefore children should have a generous curriculum.” In this episode I'll discuss big ideas, like how the mind works, grows, and develops. What is the best kind of mind-food, and how parents can provide a feast of ideas for their children. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/SimpleWonders557?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator

Which skills do my children need to succeed in life?  My house is in complete chaos. How can I make my days smoother? My child’s behavior isn’t meeting my expectations. What can I do?  Paula Tough, author of How Children Succeed, was curious what kind of influences or conditions made some children do better in life than others. Charlotte Mason asked a similar question in her day: Why do some children never really succeed in life while others flourish? Is it intelligence?  Parents affluence? Level of education? Through they’re extensive research both  authors discovered this same answer: character traits like self-discipline, empathy, and positivity are more influential than anything else. Even more than intelligence.  That’s why Charlotte Mason made habits the second instrument of education in her twenty principles.  By "education is a discipline," we mean the discipline of habits, formed definitely and thoughtfully, whether habits of mind or body.” (Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education) In this episode I discuss the big idea of discipline -- why good habits are essential, which ones to focus on, and how to set boundaries in your home. If you enjoy this podcast and would like to support my work, you can now do so via PATREON. For $5 a month you will receive exclusive content--like mini episodes, articles, and videos--while making it possible for me to continue providing content ad-free. PATREON: ⁠https://patreon.com/SimpleWonders557?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/simple.wonders.co/ YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@simplewondersacademy/featured

"When we say that 'education is an atmosphere,' we do not mean that a child should be isolated in what may be called a 'child-environment' especially adapted and prepared, but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere, both as regards persons and things, and should let him live freely among his proper conditions. It stultifies a child to bring down his world to the child's level.” In this episode I continue discussing the big idea of "education is an atmosphere" -- specifically how children form a relationship with the world around them and why hands-on, real life learning is far superior to the artificial environment of the classroom. YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@simplewondersacademy

This is part two of my conversation with Dr Peter Gray. In this episode we discuss what play is, what it is not, as well as modern ways that children play, namely video games. As a psychologist, Dr Gray has done immense amounts of research on the cognitive effects of video games and addiction, and I was surprised at what he has to say about them. Peter Gray is a research professor of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College who has conducted and published research in behavioral biology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. He is author of an internationally acclaimed introductory psychology textbook (Psychology, Worth Publishers, now in its 8th edition), which views all of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. His recent research focuses on the role of play in human evolution and how children educate themselves through play and exploration, when they are free to do so. He has expanded on these ideas in his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life (Basic Books), which has been translated into 18 languages. He also authors a regular blog called Freedom to Learn, for Psychology Today magazine. He is one of the founders of the nonprofit Alliance for Self-Directed Education and of the nonprofit Let Grow, the mission of which is to renew children’s freedom to play and explore independently of adult control. You can follow him on Facebook and find many of his published articles on his website . Show Notes: Playborhood: Turn Your Neighborhood Into a Place For Play by Mike Lanza

Children need love and discipline to reach their full potential. But what happens when parents exert too much control and not enough love? Or the opposite: too much love and not enough authority? What does a balance of love and control look like? Today we’ll discuss the ideal balance: authoritative parenting. Show Notes: https://simplewonders.org/2023/05/05/the-ideal-parenting-style/

Charlotte Mason advised that we shouldn’t use external motivators  to make children learn. She said “[grades], prizes, places, rewards, punishments, praise, blame, or other inducements are not necessary to secure attention, which is voluntary, immediate and surprisingly perfect” without them. ( A Philosophy of Education, p. 7.) But is this true today? Are rewards really that bad? How will our kids behave and learn if we don’t give them a little incentive to motivate them? And what can we do instead? To help answer these questions I’ve asked Alfie Kohn to chat with me today. Alfie Kohn is the author of fourteen books on education, parenting, and human behavior, including PUNISHED BY REWARDS (1993/2018), THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE (1999), UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING (2005), THE HOMEWORK MYTH (2006), and THE MYTH OF THE SPOILED CHILD (2014). He has written for most of the leading education periodicals and has appeared twice on “Oprah.” Time magazine described him as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades and test scores.” A strong supporter of public schooling, Kohn works with educators and parents, speaking regularly at national conferences. He lives (actually) in the Boston area and (virtually) at www.alfiekohn.org.