If I had to sum up our first day of school here at the Ward house in one word, it would be “hectic.” But hey, that is just my life right now. Because of some changes in our business, I have to go into town and close the donut shops […]
Tag: back-to-school
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When Back-to-School Isn’t Picture Perfect
What do you remember most about the back-to-school season of your youth? The smell of freshly sharpened pencils, perfectly tipped crayons and a clean backpack? Picking out a cooler lunchbox? Laying out your first day’s wardrobe, complete with scuff-free school shoes & coordinating hair accessories? Making plans to sit next to your […]
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Planning Our 1800s America Unit Studies
I decided to spend this entire school year immersed in 1800s American history. To say that I am excited about this would be an understatement! When I started planning for this upcoming rotation of history last year, I was struggling with how to teach through all of American history in one year […]
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Homeschooling in a Dual-Purpose Room
Welcome to our family front room slash dining room slash daily homeschool area! We have been homeschooling in a dual-purpose room for the past four years, and I have reorganized this room every summer to better combine its many functions. For starters, it’s the first room you see when you walk in the […]
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Guardian Academy Curriculum Plan, Part 1
I love new beginnings! I had started planning for this new school year even before the last one ended. This coming year I will be teaching my son Joel (4th grade), Leif (almost 4 and loves to be included), and two of my neices (9th and 8th grade). And I will […]
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Revisiting Our Homeschool Mission
When we first started homeschooling, I believed I was homeschooling for the right reason… and I was. More than anything else, I wanted my children to love God, to have a personal relationship with Him, and to live their lives for Him. But back then, I had no idea how to […]
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Encouragement From Teach Them Diligently
It’s my turn to share about the encouragement I received from this year’s Teach Them Diligently Convention. I realize this is coming late: Teach Them Diligently Dallas was about a month ago! However, it took me a while to process everything I learned at the convention. Now that it’s back-to-school time, many of those […]
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Preparing our Homeschool for a New Year
I love starting a new year. I am a big fan of resolutions, goals and dreams as well. For me, the new year feels like a chance at a new beginning. By December, my world has gotten somewhat out of control, the house is disorganized, my school goals have lost […]
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Flashback Friday: Guardian Academy’s Unit Study Presentation Day
In our homeschool this year… This year we at Guardian Academy (the little homeschool co-op I’m doing with my sister Elizabeth and her girls) are studying the Middle Ages using Diana Waring Presents: Romans, Reformers, and Revolutionaries. The plan is to study each unit for four weeks as suggested. At […]
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What’s Working: Preschool Busy Boxes
I was inspired last week by a vlog on Rachael Carman’s blog, HisSunflower.com, where she showed how she kept her younger children busy when she needed to spend time teaching her older students. She kept preschool busy boxes with special items in them centered around a general theme that the […]
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An Open Letter to the Doubting Mama
Unlike most homeschooling mamas today, I had opinions — and concerns — about homeschooling years before I became a mother. I was homeschooled in high school, so the idea of homeschooling was always in the back of my mind when I considered my own future family. However, being a homeschooled […]
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First Day of Homeschool at Guardian Academy
In our homeschool this week… Today was officially our first day of homeschool here at Guardian Academy, as well as our first little co-op day, when my sister Elizabeth’s family comes over and we do school together. We got a late start but still had a great day. I had […]