Julie Naturally
healthy, natural living for Christians
Here we talk about Christian unschooling and natural learning–what it is and how to implement it. We also learn how to live joyfully and peacefully with our children as we teach and disciple them. Each blog post addresses common issues around Christian unschooling and natural learning, including myths and perceptions. Julie shares from her own experience and from her research successful ways to incorporate Christian unschooling and natural learning into your home school with confidence.
Homeschooling offers the flexibility to take the summer off, homeschool year round, or switch it up and try some free homeschool products and camps in the summer. After all, summertime is a great time to experiment while keeping kids busy. We did a lot of that when my kids were younger. I liked to take …
I feel that historical timeline figures are an important part of a living history approach to homeschooling. Even in an unschooling home like ours, they really help kids understand the flow of events. I mean, if one day you’re learning about spacecraft and the next day, you’re looking up Roman columns, you need some context, …
These days, everyone seems to know how to start homeschooling, even people who have never homeschooled! For example, public school textbook companies turned homeschool curriculum providers tell parents to use their books. Virtual charter schools invite parents to sign up and shell out a few thousand dollars for their homeschool help. But, a vibrant homeschooling …
I know, I know. There’s no one right way to homeschool. But, I will argue that there is a right way and a wrong way to homeschool pre-K and preschool. To me, preschool encompasses three and four-year-olds and pre-K is the year immediately before Kindergarten. As an unschooler, I feel that homeschooling preschool mostly means …
As an unschooling mom, a literature-based approach using the best living books I could find seemed like an awesome idea. I admit, though, that I did add in educational videos, crafts and other hands-on projects, field trips, and other teaching tools. But, the one thing I pretty much avoided was textbooks. Even for math. I …
As an unschoolish mom, I like to take advantage of online learning platforms that offer interest-based courses for kids and teens. In fact, some of these platforms offer alternatives to college education you may not have considered. And, for younger kids, you may have heard of Outschool. We tried that platform for a few classes, …
Recently, I learned that one of my favorite homeschool curriculum providers, Mr. D Math, just published a new book, TEACH by Dennis Dinoia. I had to take a look because I’ve talked with Dennis personally and we have a lot in common. We’ve talked a couple of times about troubleshooting in homeschooling and about self-directed …
One of my favorite ways to teach math is with games, especially free math games for kindergartners. In the old days, we used file folder games or a book like Games for Math by Peggy Kaye to create homemade games for practicing math facts. Now, there’s Beast Academy Playground from Beast Academy. A friend of …
Have you ever felt like you were missing something when you tried planning your homeschool around learning styles and multiple intelligences? Have you ever chosen curriculum because it was visual and engaged your child’s visual-spatial and nature intelligences? And then, when he still struggled to do the work, you got frustrated? I have. This has …
I raised a son and a daughter with ADHD. In addition, my younger son shows signs of mild ADHD and/or Asperger’s and my other daughter has an Asperger’s diagnosis. After trying a curriculum-based approach for a couple of years, I hit a wall. It just wasn’t working and I almost gave up homeschooling altogether. But …
Are you stumped for strewing ideas to inspire new interests in your kids? Need some boredom busters that don’t bust the printer or the bank? Here are some of my tried and true sources of ideas, in addition to using nature to inspire new interests. See if some of these might get your child excited …
I am a big advocate of unschooling and feel that it is the natural way that children learn. But, many newbies make unschooling mistakes that sabotage their efforts. And, there are situations in which not unschooling might be a better way to go for your family. After all, no homeschooling style is a good fit …
Many critics of unschooling say that unschooling doesn’t work. And some who try it out of exasperation quit after a year or two, claiming it doesn’t work. They claim this because they thought magical things would happen and they are disappointed. Unschooling is not some magical land where kids always do something educational and thereby …
So, you’ve heard about this crazy homeschooling philosophy known as unschooling. Maybe you’re thinking, Sounds interesting. I might like to try it. But, why choose that over other methods? I mean, are there any benefits of unschooling? There are indeed! Now, I will say that unschooling doesn’t have a monopoly on these benefits, but it …
I learned early on how to teach math for K-6th grade in one year. My oldest son refused to do math curriculum. I made up for this by using Math Facts to the Max, Times Alive:Times Tables the Fun Way, Family Math, and a few other tools you can find in this math resources post. …
Because Christian unschoolers do math differently, I compiled a list of my favorite homeschool math resources from over the years. Two of my children have graduated and the others are out of elementary school. So, now is the time! First, I’d just like to challenge you to think of math as a tool, not a …
I can’t believe that my last two kids are both now in high school! It’s bittersweet. I have been talking with my daughter who’s a junior this year about life after high school. Will she choose an alternative to college or will she need some college readiness skills? To help her figure this out, I …
Online writing for kids can be a lifesaver when you homeschool several children. It encourages independent work and allows you to focus on the kids that need one-on-one attention. But, how do you find a program that engages your elementary-aged kids and teaches them, too? After all, teens have access to imaginative learning projects that …
You might not think that unschoolers consider a homeschool supply list, but you should. There are certain things that just make unschooling easier and more fulfilling. We want to have enriching homes that encourage learning, so we need to stock them with particular supplies that promote curiosity, adventure, and a passion for learning. The things …
Imagine if an online chemistry course allowed you to visualize atomic orbits and bonds and connected the science to everyday things. Would that transform your view of chemistry? It has for me. You see, when I was in college, I really wanted to major in Biology, not Psychology. I settled for a minor in Biology …
All four of my children have some sort of learning difference, which means they need imaginative learning projects to succeed. The oldest two struggle with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Four doctors diagnosed my younger daughter with high functioning Asperger’s at age 6 and my youngest son struggled with regulation issues and Sensory Processing Disorder. (He …
Because my kids are teenagers and young adults, I don’t often write about little kids. After all, most homeschool programs try teaching small children to read, write, and do simple math, and I am very much against that. Read-aloud time and lots of outdoor, hands-on play should form the staple learning diet of young children. …
My younger son needs a little nudging when it comes to reading books. He is very picky. It is challenging to find books that he not only likes, but that aren’t intimidating. He doesn’t have severe dyslexia like his older brother, but he is a somewhat slow reader. So, sometimes he says, “I hate reading.” …
This year, my younger daughter enters her junior year of high school. You know what that means, it means it’s time to talk about career choices. She has already told me that she thinks she wants to go to college. I told her that she needs to decide on some possible careers first so she …
