Read-Aloud Revival ®

By far the most popular episode we’ve ever done here on Read Aloud Revival is the episode with my oldest daughter, Audrey, when we looked back together on homeschooling from her vantage point as a sophomore in college.We discussed what worked, what didn’t, and about our homeschool experience in general.And last spring, at the Great Homeschool Conventions, you all kept asking me when Audrey would be back on the podcast.She’s now about to start her senior year at Franciscan University, so it seemed like a great time to check back in with her and get her perspective now that her college experience is almost complete.Today, she’s answering your questions from inside the RAR Premium forum and the RAR Instagram.In this episode, you’ll hear: What gave Audrey the solid foundations for writing as an English majorAudrey’s advice for high school students and college freshmenWhat parents can do to help their children build a strong sense of faithLearn more about Sarah Mackenzie:Read Aloud RevivalWaxwing BooksSubscribe to the NewsletterFind the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/questions-for-homeschooling-graduate

In this podcast, the speakers discuss the common homeschooling question of whether parents are doing enough. They explore the pressure to compare oneself to others, share personal anecdotes, and offer strategies to alleviate stress. They also discuss the importance of focusing on what children truly need and share funny anecdotes and reflections on homeschooling. The podcast concludes with book recommendations and an invitation for listeners to connect through books.

Challenges and strategies for homeschooling with babies and toddlers, including not seeing them as distractions, handling fussy toddlers, and tips for doing less. Also discusses the benefits of co-op homeschooling and the positive influence of babies and toddlers in the homeschooling journey.

Discover practical strategies for helping struggling readers and signs of dyslexia. Learn about addressing unique difficulties faced by advanced readers. Explore homeschooling benefits for dyslexic children and engaging materials for differently wired kids. Find out how to engage with advanced readers and manage anxiety in homeschooling.

During my hardest year of homeschooling, I had a 12, 10, 8, and 1 year old, and twin newborns. Life was… a little chaotic.One week, a friend of mine who had homeschooled all three of her kids asked, “So how's homeschooling going?”And naturally, I burst into tears. I’m not sure she saw that coming. But then, maybe she did. Anyway, she asked me how I was keeping the kids on track for their schoolwork and how much they could do when I wasn’t able to lead them, and when I looked at her with a blank stare, she said, “Okay, I’m going to come over tomorrow and I’ll bring some spiral notebooks.”So, I cleared a path to the door and she came and she showed me how a 25 cent notebook could completely change our homeschool for the better.Today, we're going to talk about those spiral notebooks-- the one simple tool that has had the biggest impact on my homeschooling life.In this episode, you’ll hear: How the spiral notebook system combats overwhelm when you’re being pulled in too many directionsHow I used the spiral notebooks in our homeschoolThe modified system that we use in our homeschool nowFind the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/spiral-notebooks-for-homeschool 

Imagine that your child is grown up, and his or her reading life looks a lot like yours does right now.How do you feel about that? Is your reading life something you want your kids to emulate when they’re adults? What if we built for ourselves the kind of reading life that we’d be delighted for our own kids to imitate? Novelist Katherine Paterson once wrote that “a fondness for books is catching.”I think she’s right. It’s much easier to be drawn into a reading life when the people around you also have a rich reading life.And if you’re someone who wants to raise kids who love to read - that’s probably why you’re here, right? Modeling our own rich reading life is an incredibly important strategy in making that a reality.Which means that reading – not just to your kids, not just for your kids, not just about how to be a better mother to your kids – but reading for the sheer joy of reading, is one of your most important jobs as a mother.And regardless of what your reading life looks like today, it’s OK. Keep listening. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why modeling your own enjoyment of reading is such an important piece of raising kids who love to readHow reading reduces stress, makes us happier, improves focus and more!How to overcome the hurdles and read more (in fact we have a printable for that!)Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/mom-reading-life/

Today, in this Best Of Read Aloud Revival episode, we’re revisiting a conversation about a series I absolutely adore: The Penderwicks, by Jeanne Birdsall.The Penderwicks follows the escapades of four spirited sisters, Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty. The books are a modern nod to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and they’ve won tons of awards including the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, several ALA Notable Children’s Book Awards, and the Massachusetts Children’s Book Award.Since recording this interview for RAR episode 100, Jeanne unknowingly planted the seed for my own book, A Little More Beautiful, the Story of a Garden when I visited her and her Northampton, Massachusetts, home. So now, of course, we like to call A Little More Beautiful “our book.”The first book in the Penderwicks series, The Penderwicks, A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy is our RAR Premium Family Book Club pick for this summer.That means we’ve got a full Family Book Club Guide with all the trimmings available now for members AND if you and your kids sign up for RAR Premium, they will have a chance to meet Jeanne Birdsall live on Zoom on August 25th.In this episode, you’ll hear: How Jeanne got her start writing in her 40s and why it’s never too late to follow a dreamAbout Jeanne’s character-driven writing process and why she always envisioned the Penderwicks as a seriesWhere Jeanne gets her inspiration Find the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/penderwicks-book-club/

In this episode, I’m answering more of your questions.You’ve sent in some fabulous messages and I’m going to tackle them rapid-fire for you and answer as many as possible today. Today I’m sharing about when to use Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) or teach composition, when and how to start using the library, and what to do when a teenager doesn’t enjoy reading.In this episode, you’ll hear: Why you don’t need to rush your kids into composition, and what I do insteadStrategies for handling books you’d rather your kids didn’t check out of the libraryHow to encourage older, dyslexic kids in readingFind the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/teaching-writing/

Full show notes can be found here: You Don't Need to Make the Most of Your SummerGet RAR Premium HERE>>

In today’s episode, I’m answering your questions!Listeners have sent in some fabulous questions for me, and I’m going to attempt to tackle them rapid-fire, including about where I get my favorite art prints, what to do with late-night readers, what to do if you don’t feel like you read aloud well, and more.In this episode, you’ll hear: My favorite places to find bookish artWhat I do if my kids stay up too late readingHow I handle assigned reading in my homeschoolFind the rest of the show notes at: https://readaloudrevival.com/late-night-readers/