methods & philosophies

Art and Creativity in the Great Outdoors

by Heidi
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Written by Heidi Scovel of Mt. Hope Chronicles. Summer. There is something delicious about that word, especially for a mother of three young boys after an even-rainier-than-normal Pacific Northwest spring. Children need to stretch their lungs, their legs, and their imaginations. The great outdoors are calling. We may be inclined to set down our formal spelling [...]

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family time

Around the World ~ One Picture Book at a Time

by Heidi
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Reading books about other places and cultures opens up a previously unknown world for children and adults alike. Picture books have an added dimension:  a visual feast within their illustrations. Sunny, colorful worlds. Quiet, dramatic worlds. Peaceful worlds. Chaotic worlds. As I mentioned in a previous post, Giving Our Children the World, I want my children to be [...]

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inspiration

Keeping Your Head Above Water: Homeschooling in Survival Mode

by Heidi
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One of the beauties of homeschooling is the ability of the parent-teacher to weave together life and lessons. For some, creating that integration and balance comes naturally. For others, like myself, it is a constant work in progress. But many of us, at one time or another, face huge waves of life that overwhelm our [...]

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inspiration

Educational Goals for the Whole Child

by Heidi
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Have you ever just sat and gazed at your child, wondering: Who is this person? What is she feeling? What is he thinking? What moves her? What does he aspire to be? After researching, dreaming, and planning my children’s education even before they were born, I have found it to be a fundamental shift in [...]

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methods & philosophies

Giving Our Children the World: Education Through Geography

by Heidi
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As a child, I would sit in a chair and look at my grandfather’s world globe for what seemed like hours at a time. Feeling the bumps of mountains. Reading the names of each country. Plotting a course across the ocean. What is it like to live there? How does it feel to swim in [...]

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