Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool and founder of Steady Mom
One year ago I had a giddy secret under wraps that I was excitedly preparing for–becoming the editor of a new blog called Simple Homeschool.
It has been an incredible privilege to write here for you, to share your thoughts and sometimes your worries, and to see the virtual community that has quickly grown in this space.
I want to send out a huge thanks to all of you readers who make this such a fun place to work. And in honor of 2010’s journey, or if you missed any of it along the way, here are ten of the most popular posts from this year.
- Back to Basics: Keeping School Simple
- Beyond Stereotypes: The New Face of Homeschooling
- Creating a Circle Time in Your Home (with a vlog!)
- Curious About Unschooling?
- How to Use the Library in Your Homeschool
- Learning is Better Together: Fostering Strong Sibling Relationships
- The 7 Keys of Great Teaching in Leadership Education
- Tips for Creating a “Bad” Homeschool Day Routine
- Using Google Calendar for Lesson Plans
- Waldorf Homeschooling: Learning to Let Go
In closing, I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible contributors that write here on a regular basis – they have provided so much encouragement to me and I know to you as well. I hope you’ll take a moment to read about them below and visit their personal blogs:
Sarah Baldwin
Sarah has a Master’s in Waldorf early childhood education and taught in a Waldorf school for over ten years. She became the owner of Bella Luna Toys, an online shop offering Waldorf toys, in 2009 and writes about childhood, play, parenting and Waldorf education on her blog, Moon Child.
Heather Bruggeman
Heather follows the mantra “a life that is led simply and deliberately is a life fulfilled.” She is a dedicated yoga teacher, artist, holistic health coach, mother and wife. She balances the necessities of life while homeschooling her middle school aged daughter. Heather’s blog Beauty That Moves is enjoyed by readers for its kind honesty, shared beauty, and simple guidance.
Lora Lynn Fanning
Fueled by prayer and chocolate, Lora Lynn writes about life and laughter with her five young children (ages 6, 6, 5, 3, and 2) over at Vitafamiliae. She and her husband also operate HopeSuds, which sells homemade laundry detergent to raise money for adoptive families. They hope to bring their new daughter home from Africa soon.
Jessica Fisher
After earning a BA in French Literature and a Masters of Education, Jessica taught high school level English, French and Yearbook. Now a busy mom to six children, ages 13, 9, 8, 6, 3, and 1, she shares tips and tricks for handling the parenting gig “with a good attitude” on Life as MOM while the foodie side of her develops frugal recipes at Good Cheap Eats.
Amida Lee
Amida is a crafter at heart who loves to make stuff, a homebody who loves to venture outdoors, and above all else, a dedicated mom with the goal of raising lifelong learners. She used to stress about state standards and test scores but has since come to her senses and enjoys blogging about her family’s journey into unschooling.
Heidi Scovel
Heidi spends her days up to her elbows in literature, Latin, and laundry. New bookcases and a housekeeper top her wish list. Heidi documents her pursuit of Living. Lovely. at Mt. Hope Chronicles, where she shares her love of homeschooling, photography, family, good books, and the little things in life.
Sarah Small
Sarah and her family live in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, where they enjoy hiking as much as possible. She has graduated one child from homeschooling and is happy to have miles left on the journey with her 10 and 13 year old children. With a master’s degree in English/creative writing, Sarah enjoys teaching writing and literature classes at her co-op and blogs about learning at SmallWorld at Home.
Renee Tougas
Renee has a background in science and environmental instruction with a bachelor’s degree in education. She writes about natural living, family life, creativity and homeschooling at her blog FIMBY, Fun In My Back Yard. Renee also contributes to a collaborative blog with her husband called ADVENTUREinPROGRESS — encouraging families to get outdoors and experience adventure.
Happy New Year to you and yours–thanks for following along as a reader here on Simple Homeschool!
About Jamie Martin
happy new year! thanks for sharing your wisdom with us newbies
andie’s latest post: 2010 in pictures
As a homeschooling parent, I so appreciate the work that you and the SH contributors share here, Jamie. So many of my own personal bookmarks are SH posts that have been useful, reassuring (often both!) and so helpful to me as a mom and a homeschooler. Thank you!
Have a wonderful new year!
Kara @Simple Kids’s latest post: Looking Back- Reader Favorites 2010
Congratulations on such a great first year. I’m looking forward to seeing what 2011 brings.
Alicia’s latest post: Making your own craft supplies- Part two
This has been a wonderful and enlightening blog. My family and I have learned so much from all of you. Thank you so much for a great year. I can’t wait to see what you have for 2011!
Rana’s latest post: Wordless Wednesday – Open your eyes!
Thank you for all of the sage advice and wisdom over the year. It has really helped a novice like me!