Homeschool Better Together with Pam Barnhill

Join hosts Pam Barnhill and Dawn Garrett as they revisit a classic episode of "Your Morning Basket" with Sonya Shafer, a homeschooling veteran, speaker, and writer specializing in the Charlotte Mason style of education. In this flashback episode, Sonya shares valuable insights into the power of narration and its role in developing children's personalities and engagement with books. Listen for practical tips for implementing narration, the effectiveness of oral compositions, and the benefits of using living books to foster the imagination.Key Takeaways About Narration:Learn how narration can engage children with books, develop their personalities, and enhance their oral composition, memory, and language skills. Understand the importance of grace for both parents and children as they navigate the learning process, emphasizing patience and trust. Explore the introduction of different types of narration, such as descriptive, expository, and persuasive, to students at various grade levels, and the stages of integrating these compositions into their education. Gain advice on encouraging children's narration skills without over-analyzing, to foster higher-level thinking and a love for storytelling and expression. For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb145To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

Get into the holiday spirit with the Your Morning Basket Podcast's special episode, "The Team's Favorite Christmas Books." Join host Pam Barnhill as she welcomes Betsy Cypress, Meg Angelino, Genie Shaw, Ali Madej, Jeanette Pascua, Laney Homan, Katy Wallace, and Dawn Garrett as they share their personal favorite Christmas picture books and family traditions. From heartwarming stories to meaningful activities, you'll discover new books to read and find inspiration for creating meaningful traditions with your own family. Don't miss out on this festive episode that will add warmth and joy to your holiday season.Key Takeaways: Discover new Christmas picture books to enjoy with your family, including Mortimer's Christmas Manger by Karma Wilson and The Adventure of Christmas by Lisa Welshell.Start your own family traditions inspired by the podcast team's favorite activities, such as wrapping Hershey's Kisses as a countdown to Christmas or visiting neighborhood Christmas light displays.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb144To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

In this episode of Your Morning Basket Podcast, hosts Pam Barnhill, Laney Homan, and Dawn Garrett talk about how to make morning time work for your family. They discuss how long Morning Time should be and why treating it as a separate activity is essential. The hosts share their experiences and tips on incorporating different subjects into morning time, like history, science, and skill work. They also give practical advice on balancing content area work with skill work, especially if you have multiple children. They also discuss whether you should have separate morning time activities for different age groups and the importance of having designated times for everyone to come together. Join the hosts as they give helpful advice on setting goals for morning time and making it a fun and meaningful part of your daily routine.Key Takeaways:Morning time should be seen as a separate activity, treated with importance and joy. Balancing content area work and skill work is a challenge, especially with multiple children. Skill work is often done outside of morning time. It's acceptable and beneficial to have separate morning time activities for different age groups if it works for the parent and benefits the child. Identifying priorities and deciding who needs to be present for certain activities is crucial in optimizing morning time. Setting goals for morning time, considering the ages of your children and the season of life, is an essential part of making it a successful practice.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb143To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

Tired of the daily grind of homeschooling? Join Pam Barnhill and her team as they share how Your Morning Basket Plus Explorations can breathe new life into your homeschool. In this episode, Pam is joined by team members Ali and Laney to discuss how using Explorations as the basis for elementary homeschool subjects can nurture relationships, reduce stress, and encourage a love of learning. Hear real-life examples of how topics like baseball, ponds, artwork, and nature have captured children's imaginations across various ages. Discover how activities in music, poetry, picture study, and more can provide a rich learning experience tailored to each child's interests and abilities. If you're looking for an engaging way to teach multiple ages, subject areas, and learn alongside your children, take advantage of this insightful conversation. Let explorations help you rediscover the joy and meaning at the heart of homeschooling.Key Takeaways:Morning Basket Explorations can be the core of an elementary homeschool curriculum, covering subjects like science, history, art, and more.Explorations nurture relationships between siblings as they learn together on topics tailored to their individual levels.High-interest topics like baseball, ponds, fairy tales, trains, and more encourage kids to dive deep into subjects over a month.Consistent activities in each plan, like music, poetry, and picture study, provide a well-rounded experience.Focus is on learning and making connections rather than output of worksheets or compositions.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb142To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

Join Pam, Dawn Garrett, and Meg Angelino as they bust some myths about those "extras" in homeschooling. We're airing out all the misconceptions we have heard about Morning Time through the years and today, we're here to set the record straight. Combining subjects? Totally a game changer. Tune in to get a sneak peek into our own Morning Time secrets and see why keeping it simple is key. And hey, don't stress - remember to find the joy and avoid that homeschool burnout. Whether you've got toddlers or teens, we'll chat about how Morning Time is a fit for everyone. Bring the family in on this one! 🌞📚🎉Key Takeaways:Incorporating additional subjects and activities in homeschooling lightens the day and makes it easier to teach core subjects.Combining children in their studies is a good use of time and energy, allowing them to learn from each other.Morning Time doesn't have to be elaborate; even one extra activity alongside reading aloud and memorizing a Bible verse can be effective.Morning Time helps prevent homeschool moms from burning out and provides an opportunity to engage in activities they enjoy.Morning Time is suitable for a wide age range of students and can be adapted to each child's maturity level, with older students even gaining high school credits through Morning Time activities.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb141To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

In this episode of Your Morning Basket, host Pam Barnhill is joined by Betsy Cypress, the newest Your Morning Basket team member. Pam and Betsy introduce the Wonder World Podcast for kids. Pam records the show with her daughter Olivia each week, while Betsy is the researcher and writer behind each episode. Episodes explore fascinating topics, including historical events, science, and fun trivia. The Wonder World podcast aims to spark curiosity and encourage listeners to learn about various subjects, covering everything from roller coasters and sports to culture and history. Pam and Betsy also share tips for engaging reluctant writers, discuss the benefits of Wonder World, and highlight the power of podcasts in facilitating fun and engaging learning experiences. Join them for a delightful and informative conversation about a new show that will inspire and entertain the entire family.Key Takeaways:The Wonder World podcast covers many topics, including fun holidays, history, science, poetry, jokes, and trivia.The goal of the podcast is to provide education in a fun and exciting way for curious kids and their families.Wonder World is mentioned as a "ready-made morning time" resource that can be listened to during lunch, extending the listening experience.The podcast aims to provide enjoyable learning experiences beyond what can be found in textbooks.Find the Wonder World Podcast here.Find the Wonder Kids Club here.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb140To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

In this episode, host Pam Barnhill explains why homeschooling parents should not try to recreate a classroom environment in their homes. Drawing from her experience as a homeschooling mom and former public school teacher, Pam discusses the limitations and unnecessary structures often associated with traditional classrooms. She explores the freedom and flexibility inherent in homeschooling and encourages listeners to develop their unique structures and approaches that align with their family's needs. Pam also introduces the concept of a morning basket or morning time as an alternative to traditional classroom structures, highlighting its benefits for bringing families together to learn and grow.Key Takeaways1. Homeschooling allows for freedom and flexibility that traditional classrooms often lack.2. Traditional classroom structures do not necessarily serve homeschooling families well.3. Developing unique structures and approaches that work for your family is key in homeschooling.4. Morning baskets or morning time can be a valuable alternative to traditional classroom structures, promoting family togetherness and shared learning experiences.5. Letting go of age-segregated structures and preconceived notions about certain books and materials can enhance the homeschooling experience.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb139To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

Join Pam Barnhill and Heather Tully as they dive into a unique concept for homeschooling mothers - the Mother's Morning Basket. This September, join a virtual gathering of like-minded moms as you feed your mind and soul. This session is all about fairy tales!Not only will this enrich you, but it will also provide inspiration and ideas for your own children's morning time. Heather brings her 20 years of homeschooling experience, demonstrating how to incorporate picture study, music appreciation, nature study, and more into your routine. It's time to embrace the chance to learn, grow, and share together.Key Takeaways:A Mother's Morning Basket is personal time for mothers to nurture their intellectual and creative interests during the home-school year.The Mother's Morning Basket involves activities such as Bible reading, personal poetry reading, novel reading, and self-education.The program allows moms to engage and grow intellectually alongside their children. The aim is to foster an environment where learning and growth are seen as integral parts of life, not just schoolwork.The Mother's Morning Basket is also a teaching tool for mothers. It provides them with techniques to structure their children's Morning Time more effectively.Keep learning activities simple and realistic for consistency.The Mother's Morning Basket sessions are expected to provide inspiration, camaraderie, and practical guidance for homeschooling moms.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb138To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

In today's episode, we examine the world of morning time and its incredible potential for young learners. We'll be joined by Rachel Monreal, a homeschooling mom who has discovered the magic of morning time and how it has transformed her homeschooling journey with her preschool and elementary-aged kids.We'll explore Rachel's journey through the challenges of homeschooling young children, finding balance amidst the pressures of traditional education, and rediscovering the joy of learning for both parent and child. Rachel will share her insights on including toddlers in morning time, adapting curriculum, and ultimately creating a structured plan that aligns with her family's core values.Rachel shares her practical tips for implementing morning time, her favorite resources from our "Little Explorers Plan," and how she manages to prioritize consistency in her educational routine. Let's dive in!Key Takeaways:Morning time can be a rich and enjoyable educational experience for preschoolers.Morning time provides an opportunity to align education with core values, such as faith, family relationships, language learning, and skill development.Consistency is key for a successful educational routine, and creating a structured plan can help achieve this.The "morning basket" or "morning time" approach in homeschooling can bring joy, closer relationships, and less stress to the learning experience.Morning time can be adapted to fit the needs and ages of children in a flexible and adaptable manner.For full show notes and a transcript of today’s episode, head to pambarnhill.com/ymb137To join our free homeschool community, you can create an account right here.

In this episode of the Your Morning Basket podcast, host Pam Barnhill discusses the importance of creating a flexible homeschool schedule that aligns with your family's values and goals. Pam shares practical tips and tools for overcoming the challenges of feeling overwhelmed by all the subjects, avoiding falling behind and building margin into your homeschool schedule.Pam encourages listeners to embrace rabbit trails and unexpected learning opportunities, as well as to build in margin to allow for emergencies or unexpected events. She also introduces the concept of a minimum viable day and loop scheduling to maintain structure and balance in your homeschool routine.If you want to create a homeschool schedule that aligns with your family's values and goals, this episode is a must-listen. Check out this Your Morning Basket podcast for more practical tips and tools for your homeschool journey.Find the shownotes for this episode at https://pambarnhill.com/ymb136