

Homeschool Unrefined
Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer
Are you ready for a homeschooling experience you can enjoy? One with less stress and more fun? Are you ready to think differently about homeschool? Join Maren and Angela every Monday as we encourage each other, laugh, and get real about homeschool.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2024 • 41min
212: Our Best Advice + Our Audiobook Is Here!
In their final discussion, the hosts share invaluable advice for homeschooling families, emphasizing trust in children and the importance of connection. They celebrate the launch of their audiobook, reflecting on eight years of insightful conversations. Key lessons include being authentic, adjusting expectations, and finding joy in the learning process. The balance between routine and spontaneity is explored, along with personal anecdotes about community advocacy and a gripping Netflix documentary. It's a heartfelt farewell packed with wisdom!

Sep 30, 2024 • 55min
Bonus Episode: Our Thoughts On Education with Teresa Wiedrick
Join us as Angela and Teresa Wiedrick dive into their thoughts on education! Teresa Wiedrick is an author, podcaster, and coach. She helps homeschool moms shed what's not working so they can stop pushing through and enjoy their homeschool again. Connect with Teresa! Capturing the Charmed Life We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. You can now order our book! You can order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Every positive review we receive helps us reach more people so please consider leaving a review. Thank you! Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Aug 5, 2024 • 59min
211: Raising Critical Thinkers With Julie Bogart
Join us as Julie Bogart comes back to talk critical thinking! Julie Bogart is an author, speaker, podcast host, and creator and owner of Brave Writer, an online writing and language arts program. In our conversation, we chat about her book Raising Critical Thinkers: A parent's guide to growing wise kids in the digital age, as well as Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation which offers a practical resource to grow students’ ability to think well in an age of information overload. We're excited to have you join us as we discuss why critical thinking is of the utmost importance, now more than ever. Connect with Julie! Brave Writer Classes Mentioned: Essay Prep: Dynamic Thinking All Online Classes We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. You can now order our book! You can order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Every positive review we receive helps us reach more people so please consider leaving a review. Thank you! Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Jul 15, 2024 • 1h 3min
Bonus Episode: Seeing Children As Humans with Rachel Rainbolt
Guest Rachel Rainbolt and hosts discuss valuing children as individuals in homeschooling, exploring learning opportunities, celebrating differences, and promoting inclusivity. They share experiences transitioning to homeschooling, outsourcing education, alternative learning methods, children's adaptability, and recommend educational resources for parents.

Jul 1, 2024 • 1h 2min
Bonus Episode: Creativity And Homeschool with Julie Soul
Join us for this special bonus episode with Julie Soul all about creativity and homeschool! Julie Soul is the host of the Creative Homeschool Podcast. She is also the founder of Soul Sparklettes Art and The Glitter Bomb®. Her mission is to inspire and empower anyone who teaches art to kids! Connect with Julie! Soul Sparklettes Art We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. You can now order our book! You can order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Jul 1, 2024 • 1h 5min
Bonus Episode: Homeschooling & Motivation with Casey O'Roarty
Join us for this special bonus episode with Casey O'Roarty where we discuss homeschooling and motivation. Casey O’Roarty, M.Ed, is a Positive Discipline Lead Trainer and Coach. She hosts the Joyful Courage podcast, parenting summits, live and online classes, and individual coaching. Her book, Joyful Courage: Calming the Drama and Taking Control of YOUR Parenting Journey was published in May 2019. Connect with Casey! Joyful Courage Podcast We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. You can now order our book! You can order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Jun 25, 2024 • 40min
Bonus Episode: Differently wired Learners with Debbie Reber
Join us for this special bonus episode with Debbie Reber where we discuss differently wired learners! Debbie created Tilt Parenting in early 2016 in the hopes that no parent walking this unmarked path will ever feel alone again; to help frustrated and stuck parents feel connected and grounded as they chart a path that feels positive and hopeful for the whole family. Connect with Debbie! Tilt Parenting We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. You can now order our book! You can order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Jun 17, 2024 • 27min
210: When Struggles Happen
Join us as we discuss a challenging topic: When struggles happen! Let's get right to it! When struggles happen, it's usually because our kids aren't doing what we want them to do. Parents often have an agenda and kids often don't have that same agenda. There's a big difference between reacting vs responding and we discuss this in detail. We also dive into how the disparity between our priorities vs the needs of our children is often what creates struggles. We share our simple (but oh-so-effective!) strategy for responding to struggles when they arise. 3-Step Response Strategy Stop and take a break Take responsibility and get curious Co-create a plan together Using this 3-step response strategy and working through a struggle is often the best form of learning that our children can experience. Don't forget to celebrate working through a struggle together! This last season of our podcast is for homeschooling parents, traditional school parents, and everyone in between. This is our last season and definitely our best season! We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. LTWs Angela: Beyond That, The Sea by Laura Spence-Ash ChatGPT told me I would like this and they were spot on! I listened to it and loved it. Maren: Ergonomic Kneeling Chair This takes the pressure off my lower back and hips while working at my computer! Also great for ADHD because I can rock. That small movement helps me focus! You can now pre-order our book! Our book will be released on June 18th! You can pre-order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

Jun 3, 2024 • 27min
209: Devices, Technology & Screens
Join us as we discuss devices, technology & screens! We know this is a hot topic and one that can often be heated. It's complicated and encompasses an ever-changing landscape. What is it about screens that captivates our kids? A sense of community, autonomy, and dopamine are three key words to keep in mind. Our world is technology-dependent and connected so it's important that we empower ourselves and our kids, and get curious while we seek to understand this issue. Together, let's dive into the following: Our kids are watching us and our relationship with screens. Like it or not, we are modeling for them! It's critical that we teach media and tech literacy. It's essential that we create a plan together, with our kids. This last season of our podcast is for homeschooling parents, traditional school parents, and everyone in between. This is our last season and definitely our best season! We’re here to show you how to: Identify learning opportunities in everything you do, how to celebrate your child’s differences, and how to give yourself and your kids credit for all the things you’re already doing. If you have felt unwelcome in other spaces, we hope you feel welcome here. LTWs Angela: The Tortured Poets Department Almost two months later, this album is still a bop. Maren: Death and Other Details I have become a TV show snob, and this show checks all the boxes for me! This is a locked room murder mystery, which grabs my attention every time. Almost the entire season 1 takes place on a yacht. It unfolds the present timeline with family, financial, and social drama, plus jumps back to a previous unsolved murder very much entangled with this one. The vibe is Knives Out meets Succession. You can now pre-order our book! Our book will be released on June 18th! You can pre-order "Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children And Parents Thrive" from the following vendors, or wherever books are sold. Bookshop.org Amazon Barnes & Noble Connect with us! Visit our website and follow us on Instagram: @homeschoolunrefined. Follow Maren for ADD, homeschooling, and parent coaching: @alwayslearningwithmaren. Sign up for our newsletter and get our Top 100 Inclusive Book List. We are listener-supported! Support us on Patreon and get access to our special Q&P (Question and Process) episodes! Email us any questions or feedback at homeschoolunrefined@gmail.com.

May 20, 2024 • 26min
208: Getting Honest About Socialization
Discover the truth about socialization in homeschooling as hosts explore making friends, diverse social settings, and parental roles. Hear about promoting social skills through real-life experiences, self-advocacy, and individual expression. Plus, learn how homeschooling encourages self-discovery and find out about the benefits of a smart water bottle for hydration tracking.