Podcasts Archives - A Brave Writer's Life in Brief: Recent Episodes
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Play isn’t a reward for learning, it is learning. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we dig into the reflex to be suspicious of anything fun, and we rebuke it with developmental science and lived experience. We give ideas on how to create playful conditions for deep, sustainable learning for your kids and even yourself. […]
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Chances are someone you know will have a sick child hospitalized at some point. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, Melissa explains how you can best support that parent and caregiver. Melissa herself has had two of her kiddos hospitalized so her suggestions come from lived experiences. First, Melissa discusses the practical physical items you […]
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Leaves changing color, evenings getting chillier—autumn is a wonderful time of the year to turn our attention toward the natural world around us. Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is all about how to facilitate nature study for your kids. We: Remember, if you have nature study projects that you have really enjoyed, please share them […]
The post [Podcast #260] Nature Study: Notebooks and Beyond appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
People tend to have a pretty clear idea of what practice looks like for musicians and athletes. But what does practice look like for writers? In today’s Brave Writer podcast episode, we discuss what writing practice can look like for writers of all ages and developmental stages. We: With references to Flannery O’Connor, judgy teenagers, […]
The post [Podcast #259] The Power of Practice appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Ever have one of those days where the kids won’t stop bickering, everything seems difficult, and overall there’s just bad energy? In today’s Brave Writer podcast episode, we give you tips and tricks on how to turn the mood around…or at least keep your own internal peace. We give ideas that are focused on the […]
The post [Podcast #258] Turning Around a Day Gone Wrong appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
What does it mean to be adultist? Do children have a right to not brush their teeth… or the right not to have cavities? Eloise Rickman joins the show today to discuss her new book, It’s Not Fair, Why It’s Time for a Grown-Up Conversation About How Adults Treat Children. We have a big juicy […]
The post [Podcast #257] The Right to Play: An Interview with Eloise Rickman appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
The sound of Moroccan Arabic, the smell of dried buffalo chips, the taste of sugary mint tea, the view of an open prairie—on today’s podcast we reflect on immersive learning experiences and how education becomes a part of a person for the rest of their life. Julie is back from her trip to Europe, having […]
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As homeschooling parents, one of our biggest concerns is ensuring our children are ready for college when the time comes (if they choose that path). Today, we’re joined by Elizabeth Christie, homeschooling mom of six, who tells us about how her Brave Writers are now excelling in college. Tune in to hear how: If you’ve […]
The post [Podcast #255] Brave Writers Thriving in College appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
“Structure” might be one of the most anxiety-provoking words for a homeschooling parent. If you feel like you’re always struggling to achieve structure in your household or if you don’t even know what level of structure is best for your kids, this podcast episode (was a previously-recorded webinar) is for you. Yes, structure and parties […]
The post [Podcast #254] Book Parties! appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Literary analysis shouldn’t be a cold dissection that increases the distance between the reader and the text, but rather a way for the reader to more deeply engage with the text. Today’s podcast is a rebroadcast of a training webinar where we talk about Brave Writer’s approach to teaching literary analysis and writer’s craft to […]
The post [Podcast #253] Literary Analysis & Writer’s Craft appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Welcome to today’s Brave Writer podcast! Since Julie is taking a short break to focus on her newest book, we’re replacing our typical podcast with a broadcast of her webinar, The GPS of Writing: Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling. Throughout this episode, Julie weaves a metaphor for grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Most importantly, Julie reminds anxious […]
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Once you view time as a gift to be savored, you can start to naturally exchange agendas for rhythms and arbitrary expectations for deep learning. This is one of the takeaway messages from The Joy of Slow: Restoring Balance and Wonder to Homeschool Learning, a book by experienced homeschooling mom Leslie Martino. Leslie is our […]
The post [Podcast #251] The Joy of Slow with Leslie Martino appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
What is living literature? What does it have to do with teaching your kids grammar and spelling? Today’s podcast episode is a recording of Julie’s webinar where she explains the heart of Brave Writer’s approach to teaching writing. Julie talks about how immersion in rich, powerful literature is the best way to teach your child […]
The post [Podcast #250] Reading Aloud: Why Teach Writing Mechanics with Living Literature? appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Tia Levings was trapped in a high-control religion, experiencing church-sanctioned domestic abuse at the hands of her husband. Her only relief was the Trapdoor Society online message boards where she could discuss big ideas about education and human development. Years later, she barely escaped with her and her kids’ lives. Tia joins us today on […]
The post [Podcast #249] Escaping Fundamentalism with Tia Levings appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Homeschooling can be isolating, but it shouldn’t be and it doesn’t have to be. In fact, as a homeschooling family, you have unique opportunities to meaningfully connect with all kinds of folks. In this podcast episode, we discuss how to find community as homeschoolers and why it is so important. We discuss: We also dive […]
The post [Podcast #248] How to Find Homeschooling Community appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
If you aren’t already excited about the Summer Olympics, this podcast episode is going to get you there. Julie’s passion for The Games is contagious. She shares some of her favorite Olympic memories as well as how she integrated the events into her kids’ learning. Geography, physics, pageantry, dedication, loss—the Olympics and Paralympics have it […]
The post [Podcast #247] 2024 Summer Games Fever with Julie Bogart appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Lindsay Smith caught our eye on Instagram (@LittleSchoolofSmiths) with all the cool book projects she does with her homeschool kids. We are thrilled she accepted our invitation to be our guest on today’s show to tell us more about them. We discuss the importance of fun, visual timelines of accomplishments: Timelines also act as lessons […]
The post [Podcast #246] Living Through Books with Lindsay Smith appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Welcome to our fourth episode in our Natural Stages of Growth in Writing series! Today we cover the High School Writers stage, broken up into two parts: It can feel overwhelming for homeschooling parents to teach writing at the high school level, but it doesn’t have to. We talk about keeping it simple: the basic […]
The post [Podcast #245] High School Writers: Natural Stages of Growth in Writing #4 appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Welcome to our third episode in our Natural Stages of Growth in Writing series! Today we cover the Middle School Writers stage, which typically occurs around ages 9-12. This stage is all about building confidence, instilling in your student that they can consistently express themselves well in writing. On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we: Be […]
The post [Podcast #244] Middle School Writers: Natural Stages of Growth in Writing #3 appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Welcome to our second podcast episode in our Natural Stages of Growth in Writing series! Today we cover the Emerging Writers stage, which typically occurs around ages 8-10. We explain that the key to the Emerging Writers stage is partnership. Parents need to partner with their kids while writing, just like parents naturally partner with […]
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We’re re-recording our Natural Stages of Growth in Writing series! If you’re a longtime listener, you may remember our first series on the topic. It was made up of conversations between Julie and her son. Now we’re recording in an updated format with more lessons learned and observations gleaned over the years. In this Brave […]
The post [Podcast #242] Beginning Writers: Natural Stages of Growth in Writing #1 appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
Parenting is not just about managing behaviors but about building meaningful relationships that help both parents and children grow. Dr. Shefali, New York Times bestselling author of The Conscious Parent and The Parenting Map, proposes an approach that prioritizes connection, embraces playfulness, and redefines success. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, Dr. Shefali discusses the […]
The post [Podcast #241] The Parenting Map with Dr. Shefali appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
There are two major pain points in homeschooling: writing and math. Our guest today on the Brave Writer podcast helps us with the math part. Pat Murray is the founder of CTC Math, which should sound very familiar to listeners as CTC Math has been an incredible sponsor for many of our episodes. Listening to […]
The post [Podcast #240] Struggling with Math? An Interview with Pat Murray of CTC Math appeared first on A Brave Writer's Life in Brief.
When parents map out the annual homeschooling budget, there’s a tendency to only focus on curriculum. In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we encourage you to prioritize tools that really bring learning to life. Plus, we give you tips on how to get them on the cheap. The right tools make all the difference in […]
Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we reunite with fellow podcasters and homeschool moms, Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer. We dive into their new book, Think Differently About Learning: A Homeschool Where Children and Parents Thrive. It can be all too easy for homeschooling families to unintentionally replicate the negative aspects of traditional schooling that […]
Thrilled to add Melissa Wiley to the podcast icon! Having Melissa co-host the show has been such a gift to me and all of you. Plus that cheery smile! It’s almost time for our annual Book Reveal! Every year we curate a new list of books to be part of our Mechanics & Literature programs. […]
Hooray! Today’s the publication day of my (Julie’s) new workbook, Becoming a Critical Thinker. If you’re a longtime listener of the Brave Writer podcast, you know that I’m pretty strict about workbooks. They should lead a child: That’s the approach I took to creating this workbook. I’ve reduced each of the activities to one key […]
Shannon Watts is the founder of Moms Demand Action, a six-million member organization she describes as “maybe the world’s largest real life field experiment for what happens when you show women how their abilities and their burning desires and their values align, and how they come alive and can achieve things they never imagined possible.” […]
Today on the Brave Writer podcast we answer a listener’s letter. An excerpt:: My kids craft. All. The. Time. They wake and craft. Hot glue and paper scraps everywhere. Markers and lost lids everywhere. Cardboard everywhere. Currently they’re making some kind of escape room with string strung everywhere like a spider’s web. I let them […]
Springtime often pulls homeschoolers in what can feel like two different directions. Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we cover how to unite the two! We give ideas of how to incorporate formal education with being outside: Measuring the circumference of a tree, practicing spelling while tossing a lacrosse ball, figuring out change at the […]
When a lot of people hear “Artificial Intelligence,” they think RoboCop or the Terminator, but Dr. Kelly Cohen, Director of the AI biolab at University of Cincinnati, thinks about life-saving medical processes. Dr. Kelly Cohen’s startup, Genexia, uses AI to identify coronary artery disease using mammograms. Today he joins us on the Brave Writer podcast […]
Hana’s Instagram account, Pepper and Pine, is one of the most beautiful accounts on the internet: colorful, full of books and art. Her homeschooling approach is much the same. Using the Waldorf philosophy, she blends creativity and curiosity into her lessons, keeping them targeted to specific developmental stages. Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we […]
Today’s podcast episode is a Poetry Teatime: You drink tea, people pick poems to read aloud, you listen and enjoy them while you’re eating a delicious snack. Of course, since this is Brave Writer, we take time between the poems to talk about our love for poetry and how we use it to teach children […]
At age 20, Brave Writer alum Millie Florence has already published three books! She joins the podcast today to talk about: Plus, we geek out about Minecraft Story Mode and our favorite middle grade novels! Show Notes Millie’s Writing Process Millie considers herself to be more of a “plotter” than a “pantser” these days. That […]
We often practice compassion for others, but hesitate when it comes to compassion for ourselves. Friend of the podcast Dr. Diana Hill joins us today to talk about her newest book, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, and give us some practical tips for practicing self-compassion. We talk about: This conversation is packed with nuggets of wisdom […]
There’s a big difference between “the game of school” and “the learning game.” Ana Lorena Fábrega picked this up as a kid when she went to 10 different schools by the time she was 15. She learned it again as an educator herself. Today Ana joins us on the Brave Writer podcast to discuss her […]
The internet has been a great tool for creating community. It has given us ways to connect, commiserate, and even start entrepreneurial adventures. In the 90s, we were just figuring out blogs and message boards. Now, there is TikTok, Instagram, and going viral. Founder of Scary Mommy and She’s Got Issues, Jill Smokler joins us […]
Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is about how to homeschool while you have a baby or toddler in tow. First, Julie and Melissa talk about daily routines, like finding pockets of time to teach your older kids while your toddler is napping or when you are all taking a family walk. Then they give specific […]
In the realm of homeschooling, the journey from traditional educational frameworks to embracing a homeschooling lifestyle is both inspiring and transformative. This transition, often sparked by a desire for a more personalized and engaging learning experience, is richly illustrated by the story of Mandy Davis, a former traditional education professional who embarked on a homeschooling […]
In our latest Brave Writer podcast episode, we took a closer look at the tough topic of leaving cults and the importance of thinking for ourselves. We had a deep chat with Sarah Edmondson and Anthony ‘Nippy’ Ames, who shared their brave story of getting out of the NXIVM cult. This episode isn’t just about […]
When you’re cultivating a critical thinking space, you want to create a supportive, emotionally safe environment. -Julie Bogart Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available to us today? In this Brave Writer podcast episode, we delve into the critical need for fostering critical thinking skills in our children to navigate […]
As lifelong learners and educators in the homeschooling community, we understand that the journey of teaching and guiding our children is ever-evolving. Our recent podcast guest, Joshua Harris, shared his personal journey of growth and transformation, which resonates deeply with many of us who navigate the complex waters of education and parenting. Show Notes Embracing […]
Every writer’s journey begins with the spark of inspiration, often ignited during childhood. Favorite books and characters not only entertain but also open the door to the enchanting world of storytelling. For many, including our co-host Melissa Wiley, this early love of reading sows the seeds for a future in writing. As a published author, […]
Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is about what I call “The 4th R.” Most of us are familiar with the three R’s: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. But in order for those subjects to click with your kids, you need a 4th R: Relationship. Everything in your home and homeschool flows from how well you connect […]
The new year brings a perfect opportunity to refresh and re-energize our homeschooling practices. It’s not just about sticking to what has worked in the past; it’s about bringing in new ideas and approaches. On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we encourage parents to experiment with different educational styles and activities. From introducing treasure hunts to […]
Did you miss a 2024 episode of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again? Not to worry! Here are all the episodes of the podcast aired in 2024 in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. Show Notes are included! And bookmark […]
In the journey of nurturing the next generation, the importance of instilling kindness and empathy in children cannot be overstated. The concept of teaching kindness extends far beyond mere politeness; it’s about shaping compassionate, empathetic individuals who can positively impact their communities. Katie Doughty, a passionate advocate for childhood empathy and the founder of Team […]
We have always been passionate advocates for flexible and child-centered education. With our combined experience in homeschooling and traditional schooling, we’ve come to appreciate the unique journey each child embarks upon in their quest for knowledge and growth. Our personal experiences have shaped our approach to education. I found joy in homeschooling my children, integrating […]
In our journey of homeschooling, we’ve discovered that education is not just about textbooks and structured lessons; it’s about nurturing a child’s: We believe in blending structured education with elements of surprise and spontaneity, making learning an adventure rather than a chore. Show Notes The Magic of Planned Spontaneity One approach we’ve found incredibly effective […]
In the realm of educational resources, Essie and Hsin-Fu Wu, the founders of Resilient Panda History, aim to fill a neglected niche in the homeschooling world. With a deep commitment to educating young minds about the rich tapestry of Asian American history, Essie and Hsin-Fu, both homeschooling parents, have pioneered a path for inclusive learning. […]
As seasoned homeschoolers and advocates for this unique educational journey, we have experienced firsthand the challenges and joys that come with choosing this path. Join us on today’s Brave Writer podcast as we share our venture into homeschooling and how it wasn’t straightforward; it involved navigating skepticism from our spouses and families, balancing our convictions […]
As the leaves turn and the days shorten, there’s a distinct shift in the air – it’s the cozy season, a time for warmth, reflection, and connection. This season, we’re embracing the Danish concept of ‘hygge’ (pronounced ‘hoo-ga’) in our homeschooling journey. Hygge is all about creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things […]
With the holiday season approaching, I’ve been hearing all kinds of advice about boundary setting. As a grandmother myself, I’ve experienced firsthand how relationships and boundaries evolve with adult children over time. I think what’s missing from most modern conversations about boundaries is how important it is to start from a place of: Boundaries should […]
As an educator deeply embedded in the homeschooling world, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of writing when taught as a natural and enjoyable practice. Yet, the essence of our message transcends the confines of any single medium. It’s about fostering a love of writing in our children—seeing it not as a task but as […]
Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we dive deeper into a topic that holds immense significance in many of our lives: divorce. It’s an extension of our previous discussions (here is Part One if you missed it), and I genuinely believe it’s a conversation we need to have. Many of us know someone, a dear […]
On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we dive into the emotional aspect of divorce, especially its impact on children. From my personal experience as a child of divorce and later, as a divorced woman, I hope to shed light on finding stability post-divorce. A friend once encouraged me during my tough times saying, “Julie, keep going. […]
What do the laundry cycle and the learning cycle have in common? A lot, actually. Today, we apply KC Davis’s take on laundry to homeschooling. In her book How to Keep House While Drowning, KC Davis talks about how the goal of the laundry cycle shouldn’t be to have all your family’s clothes clean at […]
Have you ever stopped to marvel at the unique skills and knowledge your children possess? Sometimes, they have these fascinating insights about their favorite TV show or a little trick they’ve learned to make the perfect dessert. It’s got me thinking—our children can be our teachers too! Put your kids in the driver’s seat and […]
Representation and diversity in media play a crucial role in shaping the self-worth and perception of children. We’re continuing our in-depth discussion (Part One/Part Two) with Amber O’Neal Johnston about her book, A Place to Belong. On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we’re delving into the: Show Notes Nostalgia vs. Inclusion Let’s be clear: Visual storytelling, […]
We’re continuing our deep dive discussion into Amber O’Neal Johnston’s new book, A Place to Belong. Previously in Part One, we talked about what led Amber to write the book—having a big juicy discussion around family culture, normalizing difficult conversations, and building a framework for inclusion within the family. We also talked about the different […]
The heart and soul behind heritagemom.com and a proud contributor to the Wild + Free homeschooling community, Amber O’Neal Johnston has woven her experiences into a beautiful narrative in her book, A Place to Belong. Amber’s book serves as a rich resource for families across the spectrum, exploring homes that are: Today on the Brave […]
Today on the Brave Writer podcast we’re diving deep into the book “Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning” by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Rodiger III, and Mark A. McDaniel. Both Melissa and I were quite enthralled by this read, and for many solid reasons. Let’s explore why this book has made such […]
Meet Rachel Rainbolt, the visionary founder of Sage Family and one of my favorite homeschoolers. With a master’s degree in marital and family therapy, Rachel has spent years guiding overwhelmed families toward peace and joy. Living on an idyllic island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three spirited children, Rachel embodies the essence […]
Have you noticed the shift from reading novels, newspapers, and research papers to watching 2-minute videos or skimming 280-character tweets? If you’ve got a student in the house, you might’ve seen them use tools like ChatGPT, the latest AI wonder, to draft their college papers. It’s like a quick jump from A to Z, bypassing […]
In today’s homeschooling environment, misconceptions about learning often cloud our judgments. Key among these misconceptions – one I may be guilty of contributing to – is the belief that struggle is counterproductive to learning. It’s essential, however, to understand that effort can contribute to an effective recall process. Drawing a line between unnecessary suffering and […]
There are days when you feel invincible, ready to conquer the world, and there are other days where getting out of bed feels like a herculean task. I confess, on those less-than-stellar days, I resort to watching bad sitcom reruns, while Melissa disappears into an endless loop of Instagram Reels. Sound familiar? Today on the […]
Parenting can be one of life’s most fulfilling yet challenging journeys. Josh MacNeill, former teacher and now the CEO of InMind Services, has dedicated his life to understanding child behavior. With certifications in child trauma and multicultural education, he brings unique insights into the art of mindful parenting. This guide, inspired by Josh’s insights, aims […]
Ever found yourself feeling emotionally and physically drained? Do you wonder if what you’re experiencing is burnout? And importantly, do you know how to combat it? Today’s podcast continues our conversation with Tanya Tarr, an expert on resilience, to talk about burnout and the strategies we can use to counter it. Be sure to tune […]
Do you ever feel like your energy reserves are just being depleted, and you can’t seem to replenish them? It might be more than just fatigue or exhaustion; it could be burnout. We had a riveting conversation with Tanya Tarr, a behavioral scientist, columnist, corporate educator, and the founder of Cultivated Insights, who had plenty […]
As homeschooling parents, we understand the unique challenges that arise when the academic year ends. Summer is here, and so begins a time without the structure and routine of homeschooling. Our children, the very ones we’ve been teaching, are still with us, ready to start each day, and they need things to do. This lack […]
Dive into a captivating conversation with our special guest Sarah Collins, a skilled occupational therapist turned homeschooling consultant. I met Sarah, known for her lively and engaging conversations, at the Michiana Homeschool Conference and there began an insightful dialogue about the powerful impact of her work. Sarah shares her transformative journey from being introduced to […]
On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we discuss a topic that I believe is fundamental to the homeschooling journey: persistence. Regardless of where you are in your homeschooling adventure—whether you’re still contemplating the idea, just embarking on your first year, already ten years deep, or even approaching your final year—it’s essential to understand what it takes […]
At Brave Writer, we believe that writing is at the heart of education. Our approach is to teach kids to write by reading books they’ll love, and organically – but methodically – bringing up discussions that expand upon how the books were written. The focus of today’s podcast discussion is the youngest among us: those […]
While the field of reading science is buzzing today with various theories, philosophies, and approaches, Brave Writer’s method stands out. Let’s be clear, Brave Writer is not a reading program. We don’t teach phonics or whole language. We aren’t focused on reading instruction, but we do recognize that the ability to write effectively relies heavily […]
Get ready for an entertaining journey into homeschooling on this episode of our podcast! We delve into an inspiring approach to education that proves learning can be: This episode features an exciting discussion with our special guest, Lise McGuinness, a veteran preschool teacher and homeschooler (and Brave Learner Home member!) with an infectious enthusiasm for […]
Today, we’re going back to the root of it all to ask – and answer – one incredibly vital question: Why homeschool in the first place? Everyone has their own personal reasons, but I thought we could explore the origins of why we began homeschooling in the first place, as well as five reasons we […]
One of the most popular questions we get as a company is to define (or identify) our underlying worldview. Parents who sift through the Internet looking for homeschool programs want to find companies that align enough with their values that they can trust them as tools to educate their children. There are lots of ways […]
Meet my college friend in this Brave Writer podcast episode! Meg Maloney is the author of an intriguing memoir, “Slow Your Roll,” where she chronicles her transformative journey across Spain on the Camino de Santiago, a renowned network of pilgrimages culminating at the shrine of apostle St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago […]
In the realm of children’s literature, certain authors create captivating worlds that inspire young readers to explore, imagine, and grow. One such author is Anna James, the British writer and journalist based in North London, known for her middle-grade novels series, “Pages and Co.” Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we’re discussing: Also, don’t forget […]
Are you a homeschooling parent who has heard about unschooling but isn’t quite sure what it means, or whether it’s right for your family? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Unschooling is a flexible and learner-centered approach to education that encourages: In this Brave Writer podcast, we’ll dive into the world of unschooling and share some […]
Are you struggling with family drama and looking for ways to create a more harmonious home environment? You’re not alone! We recently sat down with Nedra Tawwab, a licensed therapist and New York Times bestselling author of “Set Boundaries, Find Peace” and “Drama Free,” who shared valuable insights and advice on: As a seasoned expert […]
We know that parents and home educators often feel like they aren’t living up to their own ideals, which can lead to a crisis of self-esteem. As we face new seasons in life, our previous skillsets might not always be adequate for the task at hand, leaving us feeling frustrated, lonely, and sometimes like we’re […]
Do you ever wonder if there are benefits to letting your kids reread, rewatch, and revisit their favorite books, movies, and TV shows? On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we delve into this practice and its numerous advantages for children and their families, highlighting how revisiting beloved stories can foster: Show Notes Developing critical thinking skills […]
In our last discussion on the Brave Writer podcast, we explored what it takes to feel good about home education and parenting, and we were left with a tantalizing idea: the key lies in habit formation. Eager to learn more, we sent Melissa on a research mission to understand the ins and outs of habit […]
In the first part of our series answering the question “How do I know if I’m doing enough for my kids’ education?” (which you should definitely listen to if you haven’t already), we discussed how to ensure you’ve done enough preparation and research for your homeschooling journey, as well as how to navigate subject mastery […]
A question that often comes up repeatedly in the minds of many homeschooling parents is: “Am I doing enough?” We know how stressful it can be — we’ve all been there. Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we’re going to explore three key aspects to help you navigate the world of “enoughness” in homeschooling: So, […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Do you wish you were more spontaneous? Or do you […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Have you ever felt anxious about homeschooling and worried that […]
Are you a teacher who feels overwhelmed by the challenge of helping all of your students achieve their reading goals? Then you won’t want to miss today’s episode of our podcast! We’re thrilled to be joined by Dr. Marnie Ginsburg, the founder of Reading Simplified, a program designed to support educators in teaching an evidence-based […]
Looking into our Brave Writer podcast analytics, we discovered a surprising fact: Most of our listeners are Millennials or Gen X! In today’s episode, Melissa and I will be exploring the unique challenges faced by young Gen-Xers and Millennials who choose to homeschool. We’ve been looking into generation theory to better understand the characteristics and […]
Melissa and I just discovered an interesting coincidence about us: We both grew up as theater kids! Although we didn’t pursue theater professionally, we bonded over our kinesthetic approach to home education. Our Brave Writer products, such as the Quill, Dart, Arrow, Boomerang, and Slingshot (affectionately abbreviated to Q-DABS), are designed to incorporate movement into […]
The way most of us were taught history can be boring — just a list of dates and events with no relevance. But once you start teaching history to your kids, everything changes, and you wish you could show your kids now what you wish you had seen when you were first learning history yourself. […]
Today Melissa and I nerd out about writing. We’re passionate about writing. We’re professional writers! Ergo: we LOVE it! The unique aspect of Brave Writer is that our approach to teaching writing is different from what’s typically taught in education or seen in other writing resources. It’s a process that is reflective of the stages […]
Wondering how to juggle technology and kids? Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is dedicated to addressing the number one requested topic: screen time and our children. With the rise of technology and the numerous devices available, it’s natural for us to feel overwhelmed and concerned about the impact screens are having on our kids. Do […]
Did you miss a 2023 episode of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again? Not to worry! Here are the episodes of the podcast aired in 2023 in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. Show Notes are included! Note: We switched […]
I can’t wait for you to listen to today’s podcast episode! Today’s show marks a new beginning in the Brave Writer podcast. I’m introducing a co-host to the show: Meet Melissa Wiley, a long-time homeschooler, children’s book writer, and valued friend and colleague. Melissa has written two highly-regarded novels which we share in the Brave […]
Kids are naturally, wonderfully curious — especially when it comes to their own bodies. It isn’t easy to answer curious kids’ questions about their bodies with accuracy and to their satisfaction. That’s where the book Human Body Learning Lab by Dr. Betty Choi comes in. The author, a Harvard-educated pediatrician, shares her passion for helping […]
Debbie Reber knows firsthand how to navigate the journey of raising a neurodivergent child. As the founder of Tilt Parenting and author of Differently Wired Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, she shares her personal experience of homeschooling and helping other parents. Debbie’s goal is to provide support and resources for parents, caregivers, […]
On today’s Brave Writer podcast: Leah Boden is a wife, mother, homeschooler, podcaster, writer, and speaker. She has four children — one who is an adult and the remaining three that are still educated at home. Leah is passionate about bringing learning to life and is committed to modernizing the Charlotte Mason method of education. […]
Parents often don’t see themselves as educators or coaches to their own children or communities. And yet, that’s exactly what they are — or at least what they aim to be. Coaching is a set of strategies you can use when you want to help someone learn and grow. Our role as parents is to […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea In our attempts to find a philosophy of education that […]
Content Warning: The speaker is a Christian and this show features her book that teaches families how to celebrate the liturgical calendar. Bonnie Smith Whitehouse is a Nashville-based professor at Belmont University and writer. She calls herself a pilgrim not only because she loves to walk, wander, and contemplate, but because when she read Annie […]
As we’re facing the end of the year—whatever that means to you—I feel like it’s a chance to think about the dynamics of our relationships and the ways that things have changed and yet are also the same. We’re getting through it together, one day at a time. Hug your people, stay present to the […]
Whitney Goodman is the author of Toxic Positivity, a book sharing its release date with my own, Raising Critical Thinkers. She’s a psychotherapist with a wonderful Instagram account, @sitwithwhit, where she offers insightful support to young adults seeking to recover from childhood pains and traumas. She was previously on the podcast in May 2022 where […]
Mary Van Geffen is an international coaching expert for parents of “spicy ones.” She helps people who are highly competent in life but overwhelmed by the challenges of parenting to lean into the discipline of staying calm. She helps them cultivate warmth and tenderness, all while trying to wrangle the fiery future of their tiny […]
Did you know that Brave Writer was the first online writing class instruction in the homeschool space? We have been pioneers and innovators in the writing space for over two decades, teaching over ten thousand students since then. Kirsten Merryman is the Director of Online Classes at Brave Writer. She’s responsible for hiring and training […]
The holidays are coming, and many homeschooling parents know that there are going to be disruptions to the routine of daily life — so they try to figure out how to maintain that routine instead of allowing that routine to change and adapt to the constraints of this time of year. Some homeschoolers don’t even […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Most parents love the idea of allowing their children to […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Has your year started—and it’s not going well yet? Do […]
When the staff of Brave Writer get together, there is always one ingredient present that isn’t planned for but is nevertheless enjoyed: Laughter. In fact, our meetings often run long, to the annoyance of nobody. This is one of those secret ingredients that makes the work of Brave Writer shine, though you never get to […]
While educating children is a job of its own, many homeschooling parents also have a full-time job or side gig on top of that. You deserve support in all of those roles. Dr. Yael Schonbrun is a clinical psychologist, an assistant professor at Brown University, and co-host of Psychologists Off the Clock, a podcast about […]
Our guest on the podcast today is a Brave Writer mom, Emily Mohajeri Norris. She homeschooled her kids, using our Brave Writer program extensively. She and her children have taken online classes and used our writing manuals to boost their skills. She’s also read my books and applied what she learned there to her teaching […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea As parents and caretakers, we are often torn between the […]
Content warning: In today’s podcast, we deal with topics of evangelical Christianity and parenting in the United States. While this conversation may be welcoming for some, it could be triggering for others. Despite any personal views expressed by myself or our guest Bekah McNeel, know that Brave Writer is a non-sectarian company that happily celebrates […]
Dr. Becky Kennedy is a clinical psychologist and the founder and CEO of Good Inside, as well as a mom of three, and she’s rethinking the way we raise our kids. Her goal: To empower parents to feel sturdier and more equipped to manage all the challenges every parent faces. As home educators, we know […]
It feels like a natural part of teaching to look at our child’s work and note where it could be improved. Yet oftentimes, giving suggestions can often leave young writers feeling judged, inadequate, or underappreciated. The good news? It’s possible to offer your young writer editorial feedback without triggering a meltdown. On today’s podcast, I’ll […]
Parents sometimes confuse two important issues. They care about their students getting the appropriate education, and so they prioritize what they consider the right subjects taught in the right ways through the right programs. Meanwhile the child is resisting. That resistance is expressed as a global unhappiness with the subject or any effort required to […]
Kids are savvy! They know that when you teach them something, there’s a sort of implicit catch. If you show a child how to make their bed, they know you’ll expect them to start making the bed themselves every day. It’s a small thing, but when that obligation is there, it leads to resisting the […]
For homeschooling parents, happiness feels like the lowest level of ambition. When other parents would say “I only want my kids to be happy,” we’d scoff. We wanted our kids to be virtuous, to make a difference, to be leaders in their generation. But we parents have very little control—over our own lives, let alone […]
Today’s guest on the Brave Writer podcast: Jennifer Pepito! Jenn and I have had many wonderful conversations on the WILD + FREE podcast, a community of moms seeking to give their children a beautiful childhood—whether that’s through homeschooling or not. She has a new book out now: Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are brief messages of support for parents and educators. If you’d like to receive the weekly emails, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Continuing our podcast series on the Four Forces of Enchantment, let’s […]
We’re continuing our conversation (here’s part one) with Mosheh Oinounou, a journalist who breaks down daily headlines of the biggest, most relevant news stories on his Instagram. He also publishes a newsletter that aims to share real, verified news sources and hosts a daily news podcast as part of his Mo News Network. In today’s […]
We’ve been discussing the importance of critical thinking lately, and today’s guest on the Brave Writer podcast is a perfect example of why it’s so important—and also incredibly difficult. I’m speaking with Mosheh Oinounou, a journalist who has risen to fame on Instagram for his neutral: approach to the news, digging into headlines, and discussing […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are messages of support for your life of parenting and educating, as well as taking good care of you. If you’d like to receive them, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Continuing our […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are messages of support for your life of parenting and educating, as well as taking good care of you. If you’d like to receive them, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea How did […]
Let me know if this sounds familiar: You’re trying to think about all of the things you need to accomplish, not just in a day, but over the course of your child’s life—from birth to adulthood? Eating, walking, reading, writing, riding a bike, instilling good morals… the list goes on! And homeschooling only adds more […]
It’s summertime! Are you planning for the upcoming school year? Whether you’re homeschooling or sending kids to a traditional school, writing is that one skill that so many of us find unnerving. One of the big problems is that your child’s age or grade level doesn’t tell you much about your writer. Writing develops the […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are messages of support for your life of parenting and educating, as well as taking good care of you. If you’d like to receive them, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea If we […]
Maya Payne Smart is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate who has served on the boards of numerous library and literacy organizations. She and her family live in Milwaukie, Wisconsin where she serves as affiliated faculty in Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Education at Marquette University. At her website, MayaSmart.com, she […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are messages of support for your life of parenting and educating, as well as taking good care of you. If you’d like to receive them, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea Does it […]
I am recording some of my Tea with Julie emails for the podcast for those of you who prefer to listen. These are messages of support for your life of parenting and educating, as well as taking good care of you. If you’d like to receive them, they are free. Sign up at bravewriter.com/tea A family […]
So many of you asked to hear my talk from the Wild+Free conference that I recorded it for the podcast! Here it is, as close to what I shared there as possible. “The Courage to Change”—exactly what we all need as we face this uncertain future. I’m here for it, and here for you. xo […]
We’re continuing our conversation with the brilliant Rita Cevasco! In case you missed out last podcast episode with the owner and creator of Rooted in Language, go listen to it now. In this second part, we’re going to dive into practical steps to help your kids learn to read. We talk about: the difference in […]
Learning to read and write is absolutely life-changing, but it doesn’t come easily to all kids. Rita Cevasco is a friend and colleague of mine and the founder of Rooted in Language. We have collaborated together in a homeschooling coop—her teaching reading, I teaching writing—and our teaching styles and points of view mesh beautifully. In […]
On today’s Brave Writer podcast, our guest is Whitney Goodman, the radically honest psychotherapist and owner of The Collaborative Counseling Center, a private therapy practice in Miami, Florida. Her new book, Toxic Positivity, talks about the downside of our cultural obsession with being happy – and how to better embrace and balance all of life’s […]
On today’s Brave Writer podcast, we talk about motherhood like you’ve never heard it before! I have five grown children and two grandchildren (with another on the way), and have been deeply invested in the wellbeing of mothers and motherhood for decades. It feels as if there’s little left to learn in that space for […]
Amber O’Neal Johnston is a brand new author, debuting with her book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond. Her mission is to see all of us celebrate our cultural heritages while also honoring the unique expressions of identity in others. Her book is practical, beautifully conceived, and filled […]
Raising Critical Thinkers is circling the globe via podcast and news article! If you’re interested in hearing a wide array of thoughts that I’ve shared about the contents of my new book, check out some of these delightful interviews. Bookmark this page! We’ll update this post as interviews are shared. Tune In The Homeschool Compass […]
What do we do with regret? On one hand, dwelling on our past – giving in to feelings of remorse, guilt, or shame – is not exactly productive. But on the other hand, regret is trying to tell you something, perhaps that you’ve been doing things wrong and could stand to make a change. So […]
I was thrilled to discuss my book, Raising Critical Thinkers, with Dr. Robyn Silverman. On her podcast, How to Talk to Kids about Anything, we focus on how to talk to kids about being critical thinkers who ask “who says?” when: taking in new information, doing their own research, and asking questions from different perspectives. […]
This is a special podcast episode for me: my new book, Raising Critical Thinkers, is now available! I have been thinking about thinking for decades. My bookshelves are full of texts dealing with the big ideas we all excavate, explore, and uncover as we become adults and strive to figure out our place in the […]
Last week on the Brave Writer podcast we discussed how the path to giving our kids the best possible outcomes in life comes down to some counterintuitive advice: You have to think – and care – less about that outcome. Easy, right? Maybe not. Now that you’ve hopefully bought into the theoretical concept, we’re going […]
As parents and caregivers, we all care so much about giving our kids the best possible: outcomes, education, and experiences. We’ve probably even spent an inordinate amount of time diving into books, podcasts, consulting with others, and other ways of learning what we think we need to know in order to be good parents. But […]
There is a difference between having a joyful vision of family life that includes opportunities for growth and learning and love versus a specific vision you feel you must protect in order to think you are successful. In our last Brave Writer podcast episode, I explored the difference between setting boundaries and setting rules. I […]
Welcome to the first episode of a new segment I’m calling “Julie Pep Talks,” where I narrow in on one particular topic and give you my thoughts about it and suggestions you can quickly put into practice. Today’s topic is all about setting boundaries, not setting rules. At the start of a new year, we’re […]
This week on the podcast, we connect with Grace Llewellyn, a staple of the unschooling community who shaped my own homeschooling approach. She taught for three years before leaving the profession to write a classic in the unschooling world: The Teenage Liberation Handbook. The book was published in 1991, when she was only 26 years […]
This podcast interview did not go the way I expected – in the most delightful way imaginable. We wound up discussing the power of travel in a teen’s life! Super fun. Blake Boles is the Founder and Director of Unschool Adventures, and he’s written several helpful books including his most recent title, “Why Are You […]
The hardest part of being a homeschooling parent in this era is the pressure of being caught smack dab in the middle of idealism and the Mamasphere. Anne Helen Petersen writes the substack newsletter Culture Study, which I’ve followed for quite some time. She’s a cultural commentator and journalist, and is the author of four […]
Teaching children a life skill is harder than it seems. As a parent, this can be extremely frustrating. The positives, though, are worth the trouble. Consider this, the sooner our kids know how to help around the house, the sooner they can help us around the house! More importantly, and beyond our own benefit, ensuring […]
Today’s Brave Writer podcast episode is packed with well-researched methods for bringing your family’s habits and home life back to reality. My guest today is Dr. Natasha Beck, a parenting expert and Founder of Dr. Organic Mommy, an online resource for non-toxic parenting. She leans on her background in clinical psychology and public health to […]
Did you miss an episode from the seventh season of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again? Not to worry! Here are the episodes from season seven of the podcast in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. Tune in to the […]
When it comes to politics, keeping your facts straight can feel nearly impossible. It seems as if every outlet has some political bias, and misinformation can run rampant on social media and take hold of millions without question. That’s why critical thinking — especially in this realm — is incredibly important. Sharon McMahon of SharonSaysSo […]
As we talk about critical thinking, the conversation tends to skew towards teenagers and high schoolers, but you’d be amazed at the powerful wheels turning in the minds of our little ones. We can prime the environment for them to be quality thinkers at as young as preschool or even toddlerhood. Susie Allison has a […]
A couple of years ago, I was introduced to my next guest on the Brave Writer podcast through Instagram. I was taken in immediately by her sense of style and yes, her age. As someone heading into my senior years, she instantly gave me hope that I could find the next right thing to do […]
Is university a rite of passage or merely a means to success? Or is there even more to it? Could college grow our young adult’s minds and hearts in addition to their thinking and practical skills? Dr. Adam Clark is a professor and theologian at Xavier University. He’s committed to the idea that 21st century […]
What a treat I have for you today! On today’s podcast we’re talking about the enneagram, a tool for self-knowledge. It’s a hot field of interest in the world of personality, temperament, and raising kids. A lot of what I find online, however, focuses more on the idiosyncrasies and caricatures of each type (because, let’s […]
Homeschooling should be an option for everyone. That doesn’t sound like a controversial statement, and yet many of us struggle to make our homeschool right for us and our family. Maren Goerss and Angela Sizer are the dynamic duo behind Homeschool Unrefined, an inclusive and non-sectarian podcast and community all about keeping homeschool simple, real, […]
Raising five kids during the internet era, everyone is dying to know what my thoughts on video games are! How many hours, how many minutes, how many days? Are they too violent? Is it okay if they love Minecraft? Will they lose all motivation to work? Let’s discuss all this and more! Ash Brandin (they/them) […]
The podcast has been dark for a few months… and for a good reason! I just wrapped up writing my newest book (out February 2022). Now that it’s in the hands of publishers, I’m ready to get back to the business of podcasting. The theme for this season comes from the topic of the book: […]
Did you miss an episode from the sixth season of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again? Not to worry! Here are the episodes from season six of the podcast in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. Tune in to the […]
On this episode of the Brave Writer podcast, we talk with best-selling author and award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig. We explore our shared enthusiasm for Shakespeare and how to bring the Bard to life for our children. Learn about: memorizing soliloquies, examining Shakespeare’s language, and the details of how Shakespeare’s plays have been preserved for us […]
It’s a little thing: that one comment, the nudge in the acceptable direction, the calm and carefully-worded reminder. You had the right tone of voice, the best intentions, the least egregious expectation. And then your child flies off the handle anyway. The resistance, the tongue-lashing, the pushing past whatever small boundary you set—putting on shoes […]
When you signed up for the task of homeschooling, you surely imagined what the ideal homeschooling life would look like. This is the life you are fighting for. In homeschool, the vision for natural learning is a powerful draw. It’s also worthy of fighting for that vision. But because it is not natural to many […]
The number one question I get is not how to prepare kids for college, or what you need to start homeschooling, or even about homeschooling at all — it’s about chores. Should kids be assigned chores? Should they be rewarded? How do we enforce them? While we’ve got our little ones home all day, we’ve […]
How do parents ensure that homeschooling is challenging and rigorous enough for their kids to become smart, successful adults? Many parents are under the impression that rigor is the best version of learning. Education that is rigorous means students are learning more, so many see rigor as a measuring tool for how serious the institution […]
Whether you’re brand new to homeschool, new to Brave Writer, or simply back at it again, I know you want to be the best home educator you can be for your kids. You may spend hours researching which curriculum to buy, but how much time do you dedicate to becoming the kind of home educator […]
I heard from a mom who wanted to know how to shed the fear that her children won’t be ready to enter the school system one day. She wanted to be able to put her kids in school at any given moment—next semester, next year, maybe high school, definitely college. So, let’s talk about the […]
Did you ever think of learning as training your brain chemistry? The goal of skill-building in learning is automaticity, fluency, ease of use. It’s as useful to the child learning to ride a bike as it is the teen learning to think critically. Becoming automatic looks just like ease, skill, or fluency. Think of what […]
Are you one of those people that thinks you just aren’t inventive enough to imagine creative learning experiences? We tend to think of creativity as something in the arts or something that is crafted—maybe even cooking, woodworking, and gardening. There’s a belief that creativity is attached to the imagination, and when we hear that word […]
This podcast episode addresses a specific question: What do I do about children who refuse to learn—children who: balk, throw fits, and are consistently in a bad mood about their education? How do we address this? What we need to do is step back from insistence and coercion and rediscover the joy of learning—whether that […]
Ideally, homeschooling as a common interest should be enough to unite us and drive us forward to forge friendships with a variety of people and learn from a variety of cultures. It should, but for many, that’s not how it is. How do you create a healthy, diverse homeschool culture for your local group? What […]
I have been asked the same question repeatedly over the past 10 years: How do I know if I should get a divorce? And this question has a friend: I am getting a divorce, so what do I do about my children? These two questions presuppose a third question, a bigger question: What’s a healthy […]
Is it possible to work from home while doing homeschooling? This school year is different from any other. We are not going into it with the same sense of confidence or the same tools, resources, and experiences that we rely on to be good homeschoolers. Instead, we’re coming in with a lot of uncertainty amidst […]
Millions of families have been forced to educate at home due to the pandemic of COVID-19. Millions of families also educate their kids this way by choice. Whether you are the former or the latter, all are welcome here. In the midst of this pandemic, Harvard Magazine published an article titled “The Risks of Homeschooling,” […]
Rosie the Riveter was an American icon of female strength and our symbol in Brave Writer of what it means to use that strength for good. I found the lunchbox in the photo above last Christmas in a shop in Columbus OH. What struck me as much as J Howard Miller’s illustration of her were […]
Let’s address this global, unique moment where homeschooling is suddenly center-stage and millions of families are experiencing a lifestyle change that is in some ways similar and in some ways different than the choice many of us made to do this homeschooling project. The move from having kids in school to having their education thrust […]
Today’s question on the Brave Writer podcast comes from an encounter I had at a homeschool conference several years ago. It echoed a feeling I’ve experienced myself in the homeschool space as both homeschooler and homeschool speaker/business owner. And then, as we ramped up to this new podcast season, and I asked for your current […]
What do you do when your child has no clear passion, or when the things they choose to spend their time on don’t appear to be “educational?” Today’s parent question is the most common I ever hear! Help: my child is not interested in anything academic! When we exhaust typical school-style learning and then take […]
In this season of the podcast, my goal is to give you a chance to pause and consider ways to improve the experience of learning in your home and in your family by answering questions you’ve sent to me. One theme is clear as I glance through the list of growing topics: parenting! You want […]
Today’s question will likely feel very familiar to pretty much any parent: “What if you just don’t have the energy to do all the stuff? The magic-making, the planning, the execution of all the tasks? I know what needs to get done, but I just can’t get myself to do it all. Help.” I get […]
How do you balance your roles as a parent and a teacher? There’s a funny thing that happens on the road to becoming a home educator, and it happened to all of us — you were a home educator! Wait, that sentence makes no sense. Let me help you out. Remember when your baby was […]
You might be coming to the Brave Writer podcast to learn about: teaching six kids six different subjects, dealing with cantankerous children, or sharing your love of reading with a kid who doesn’t seem interested yet. But if you want to achieve any of those things, you need to consider a few things about love. […]
Brave Writer just turned 20 and we’re kicking off a NEW podcast season! Our goal in the upcoming episodes is to focus on your questions, both the questions you’ve been asking throughout this podcasting journey and the questions you haven’t asked yet. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook groups — wherever you have the opportunity to reach out, please […]
The podcast transcripts are all here! You asked for them, we promised, and now we’re delivering. 📬 We’ve been including them one by one on the Brave Writer blog and now you can enjoy ALL of the transcripts for the Ask Julie podcasts. Print them out, highlight the parts you like, make notes in the margins—or […]
Wow! This past month has been a whirlwind of epic Brave Learner proportions! The response to The Brave Learner has been overwhelming — in all the best ways! Several phenomenal podcasters have invited me on their shows to chat all things Brave Learner. Want to listen? We’ve compiled a list! Penguin Random House: This is […]
If you missed any Ask Julie podcast episodes, here they are in one convenient place so that you can listen (or re-listen) to them whenever you want. THANK YOU for making Ask Julie the amazing podcast season that it was! Thanks to you, we’ve now gone well over a million downloads. What a milestone! We appreciate all […]
First, thank you for being part of the confetti cannon of congratulations I’ve received from The Brave Learner’s release—it’s been a wonderful whirlwind of a week! Your enthusiasm is truly treasured. Next on my agenda? I’m headed to the Wild + Free Conference in Frisco, Texas. Speaking of which… Today’s podcast guest—Greta Eskridge—has worked with […]
I had the pleasure of being a guest on Alicia Hutchinson’s fabulous podcast, Over at Alicia’s. Alicia is known for the magical ability to follow a routine without sacrificing creativity and engagement so our conversation was a real treat. We talked about: The four components of enchantment Art table inspiration Older kids and enchantment What […]
Today’s the day: The Brave Learner book birthday! The book I wrote for you,The Brave Learner, is dropping in mailboxes and book stores all over the world (quite literally!). The excitement is palpable. I love seeing all the “your book has shipped” notices many of you are sharing on social media. When I wrote this book, it […]
Can you believe this is the final episode of the Ask Julie series?! I’ve read the feedback from everyone who’s written in, or left an Apples Podcast review, and I’m deeply touched to hear how this series has resonated with you—the listeners! Let’s give a big round of applause for each guest! Their vulnerability and bravery has […]
Do you spend your waking hours multitasking, only to end the day exhausted, wondering what you accomplished? Discouraging, right? Today’s podcast guest of honor, Courtney Moyer, wrote to me asking, “Julie, how do I multitask while teaching multiple children at multiple levels with multitudes of housework?” I’ve been there! I remember the shoes scattered down the […]
They grow up too fast. We hear that ominous statement the moment our first precious bundle arrives in our arms, but we realize its weight when that child becomes a teen! Talk about growing pains, right?! Our podcast guest of honor, Myah St. John, wrote to me asking, “I’ve always loved the one-room school house […]
We want three things: Seamless connection with our children An orderly home Time for our own interests & passion projects (Awesome Adulting!) As you juggle your roles as parent, partner, and home educator, that sacred time for yourself is probably the first ball to drop. But it doesn’t have to be! Grab your earbuds—you don’t […]
I’m guessing you need to hear this episode of the Brave Writer podcast. Why? Because I know you want to connect with your precious kiddos. Our guest of honor, Jardel Manalo, wrote to me wondering how to achieve the “right” balance of connection with each child in her large family. Jardel would collapse into bed […]
Do you feel burdened by the weight of high school requirements? Do you miss the early days when homeschool felt more enchanted? If so, then you need to hear this podcast episode! (Psst: and if you’re not there yet—tune in, gather ideas for your future self, and be ahead of the game!) Today’s guest of […]
Homeschooling can be a lonely journey. Our days are filled with little faces, but quality time with a fellow adult might be sparse! Our (Canadian!) podcast guest of honor, Jennifer Hunter, wrote to me about experiencing loneliness in her current season of life as a large, single-vehicle family with small children. Do you ever feel […]
Banish the breathless anxiety of challenging topics (like math)! It’s painful to watch our children struggle, especially when we (as home educators) are the ones assigning the topics! Guess what? There’s a solution. Anne Trott, our podcast guest of honor, wrote to me asking: How can I push past the difficult learning moments without damaging […]
How can we balance delight-directed homeschool with the nuts + bolts rules of education? Jennifer Vetter, our podcast guest of honor, worried about stifling her children’s creative play with dreaded phonics lessons and formal subjects like math and grammar. Sound familiar? I acknowledged Jennifer’s desire for a checklist—ticking off those boxes is so satisfying!—by introducing […]
We’re so connected to technology (ahem blog!). We carry these magic little screens with us everywhere – and if you’re anything like me, it can start to feel like a third arm! We use them for work and for entertainment, and when our kids see us using these tools, they want to use them too. […]
Have you ever wondered if you’re teaching your kids “all the things”? Do you worry that they’ll reach age 18, and they won’t have some piece of information or some subject studied well enough and it will be “all your fault”? Join me while Christa Gregg and I discuss the weighty responsibility of being a […]
Welcome to Season 5 of the Brave Writer Podcast! I’m delighted to share with you the personal, warm, meaty conversations I had with parents just like you in this season of the podcast. In fact, I can’t wait for you to listen. This collection, titled “Ask Julie,” is comprised of episodes I’m particularly excited to […]
We have exciting news that we’re just chomping at the bit to share! Are you ready? Drumroll, please! Season 5 of our podcast launches on Monday, November 5! As I thought about this season of the podcast, it occurred to me that it would be fun to put some homeschool coaching skills into action—for FREE! […]
Season four of the Brave Writer Podcast is over, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop there! Did you miss an episode from the fourth season of the Brave Writer Podcast? Did you want to listen to an episode again? Not to worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are the episodes from season four […]
MacKenzie Koppa is a homeschooling mother, creator of the Cultivating the Lovely community, and a voice-over actor! She’s built an amazing podcast for families called The Same Page. Her idea? Give five minutes a day to this podcast to cover essentials in your child’s education as a family. She’s got great energy and passion for […]
Do you have teens? Will you have teens? Have you heard that they will be challenging or wonderful? Your best friends or strangers in your children’s bodies? Teens are awesome—in every way, from being competent and so interesting, to mystifying and sometimes downright frustrating. Let’s talk today about all the wonderfulness of parenting and home […]
Do you wonder if it’s okay to earn money on the side while homeschooling? Are you skilled in some way but don’t know how to monetize it? Would it help your family to know that there was a stream of income that could pay for the extras like lacrosse gear or a field trip to […]
After working with parents for years, we have learned that there is often a reluctance to give your own efforts to your child’s writing. But kids with parents who are involved in their education get better grades, and as a result, they feel more successful – and children who receive no support end up performing […]
Have you heard that to grow as a writer, you have to write every day? Perhaps you’ve been told that for a child to write well and freely, that child needs to master spelling and punctuation first. Once that happens, the child will find writing easier. How about this one? Children prefer writing from their […]
I am delighted to share Leah Boden with you in this episode of the Brave Writer podcast! She’s a Brit (so we do spend a few moments chatting tea, of course!) and a Charlotte Mason enthusiast. Her work in the UK helps parents find their feet with living literature, nature study, and valuing your children […]
Imagine this scene: your child is reading a book, and they’ve been reading for a few months now. Yet suddenly you think, “What if I had taught them to read this other way? What if I had used this other philosophy from the beginning? What if my child were in school?” When the “what if’s” […]
Do you ever wonder if your kids are retaining anything they learn? Yeah, me too. I wondered about it all the time. Thank goodness you have a resource I didn’t discover until years after I finished homeschooling my kids. Enter: Barbara Oakley, PhD—the mastermind behind the wildly popular Coursera course “Learning How to Learn.” Barbara […]
In the raging debate about which philosophies of education are best, many of us feel batted around and inadequate to live up to the expectations of those ideals. There’s a reason why homeschooling parents live under a cloud of inadequacy. I address that head-on in this podcast. Tune in and feel relief! The Seduction of […]
One of the most persistent questions I get in my inbox is: “But what about high school? I love all that magical enchanted lifestyle stuff for kids under 12. Don’t we HAVE to do some things they don’t want to in high school?” And so a podcast was born. My thoughts on that topic! 10 […]
Today’s homeschooling families are often well-versed in their children’s special needs: whether the child is struggling to read due to dyslexia or struggling to handwrite due to dysgraphia or needs to hop on one foot to learn math because of ADHD! This episode of the podcast explores the ways you can create an environment that […]
This podcast episode is designed to steam the wrinkles out of your crumpled homeschool. Sit back with a cup of tea and exhale. One Big Happy Family A family is a collection of individuals and we can’t forget that. The friction of human beings living in a family space together is always going to feel […]
Finding Friends for You! When all is said and done, what we really crave is connection: with our kids, with ourselves, and with each other. It matters that you find friends to support you on this daring adventure called homeschooling. Join me as I share my ideas for how to create friendships and support for […]
Home education depends on a healthy, vibrant family life. “Yeah right” you may be saying. I get it! Sibling rivalry, resistance to “chores,” and all that together time can make “happy family” seem impossible. Let’s fix that on this episode of the Brave Writer podcast! The Power & Responsibility Axis The power and responsibility axis […]
We’ve all done it—we’ve spent more time shopping for homeschool programs than teaching the actual contents of the ones we buy! In this episode of the podcast, I’ll help you dial back your expectations and learn how to make peaceful progress in homeschooling your kids. People read blogs, listen to podcasts, and watch YouTube videos […]
The magic keys to learning are already in your possession! This week I address the second set of principles that help your children not only love learning but retain what they learn. Tune in! If you missed Brain-Based Learning Part One, catch up now! What’s going on inside the brains of good learners? Learning involves both […]
We bat around many concepts related to education as homeschoolers. We look for the perfect philosophy to bring a joy-filled, academically sound learning experience to our kids. What causes the “aha!” to happen? How can we ensure our kids retain what they learn (not just master it for a moment)? Brain research shows that there […]
When my kids were young, I stumbled onto a principle that transformed how I understood learning. I had thought education was something I prepared for my kids and then required them to “do.” You can imagine how that went. One day I paired tea with poetry—and a party broke out! Which led me to reconsider […]
Did you miss our Awesome Adulting Part One podcast? Listen here. I heard you loud and clear! How in the world can you add MORE to your already overfull lives? In this episode of the Brave Writer podcast, I tackle the challenges to feeling awesome and being the full-fledged adult you envisioned you’d be by […]
As home educators, what does it mean to have a satisfying adult life? How can we nourish and enrich our lives when we are so depleted from giving away so much to our kids? What happens if we spend so much of our time preparing our children that we end up watching our own lives […]
Back in the endarkenment, pre-Internet, before books had wings to fly across oceans and continents through pixels, those of us living on the other side of the globe had text books—shipped to us in big military duffel bags, waiting up to six months for the ocean liners to arrive, then a long journey through customs […]
Did you miss the Homeschool Unrefined interview in April? Fear not, we’ve got you. We’re so grateful to Angela and Maren for having Brave Writer on their podcast. Tune in here: Where We Are Brave Writers with Julie Bogart Enjoy!
Today’s podcast focuses on how to be a partner to your child in writing and learning. Partnership is the key feature of a successful homeschool. Do we get there through structure or is it better to leave your child to discover his or her own love of learning? We’ll explore these ideas today. Whether you’re […]
Anne Guarnera has always been passionate about learning, languages in particular. She shares her passion for language learning with her husband, Daniel, and they are now introducing that love of language to their two young sons – and to the rest of the homeschooling community through Language Learning at Home. In this episode, Anne shares […]
Let’s talk about hominess in homeschool, and how you can you help your kids stay on task, while still experience the peace and comfort that home provides all of us. Today’s podcast shares ways to move from the playfulness of summer to fall, when home educators sometimes feel more pressure to make their children learn. […]
Dachelle McVey owns and operates Hide the Chocolate, a blog about homeschooling adventures, parenting, and–occasionally–hiding the chocolate! She currently homeschools her daughters, ages 10 and 12, and homeschooled her son, who is in his first year of college. Homeschooling had never been on Dachelle’s radar, but then she started noticing her oldest becoming complacent. He […]
Let’s look at the habit of perfectionism. We all know, deep down, that we have to let go of this compulsion to do things right on the first try, if we want to get better at living a satisfying life. So if we all know that, why do so many of us have this bad […]
Did you miss the Read With You Presents interview last month? Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. We appreciate Chanelle for featuring Brave Writer on the show. In the two-part podcast interview, we discuss our beginnings and how we differ from other approaches to writing. “In professional writing, we want readers! So, the goal is to write […]
In Brave Writer we talk a lot about the natural stages of growth for young writers, which help parents place their children and figure reasonable expectations. Today we’re looking at the natural stages of development for homeschool instructors. If you are a home educating parent, this is made for you – and if you are married […]
Charnaie Gordon is a computer programmer by day, blogger and influencer by night, and a wife and mother of two 24/7. She is also a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, podcast junkie, and diversity and inclusion expert. In Charnaie’s blog, Here Wee Read, she expresses her creativity and passion for reading, diverse literature, and literacy. More than […]
To be a home educator is to value learning – if you are part of the Brave Writer community, it is because you value learning. Although your children may not be able to articulate it, they know that your home is about learning, and that that is important to their parents. It is this gift […]
Would you like to receive FREE homeschool coaching? Submit Your Question for Season 5 of the Brave Writer Podcast! Does your family struggle with a particular homeschool challenge? Is there one nagging issue that you’d love to address in a new way, yet you feel out of ideas? Know that you’re not alone! Any veteran homeschooler […]
Homeschooling parents often have anxiety around the aspirations for perfection that are so prevalent in home education – but we don’t have to be perfect! In this podcast episode, I dispel some of that anxiety by sharing 55 things that I did NOT do in my homeschool, and my kids turned out okay. Listen to […]
A number of our Brave Writer podcast listeners have asked how to write a review of the show on iTunes. Here’s a quick and easy guide: Head over to the Brave Writer podcast channel. Look for the blue “View in iTunes” button in the left sidebar. Clicking on that will open the Brave Writer channel […]
Welcome to Season 4 of the Brave Writer Podcast! This season we’re releasing (via audio) our most popular YouTube broadcasts.We’ll also sprinkle original content throughout. Episode One of Season 4 is about a favorite topic: morning routines! We explore possible ways to structure your mornings, five things you can do before noon, and the difference between […]
Today on the podcast we learn more about the developing brain so that we, as parents and home educators, can incorporate brain-based practices into our family’s lives. Our guest for this episode is Joshua MacNeill, Director of Lakeside’s NeuroLogic Initiative and an expert in trauma-informed education. [This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click […]
Season 3 of the Brave Writer podcast surpassed even my expectations! In my interviews with friends, educators, and even my wonderful mom, we explored the brave shifts that helps us to be better parents, better homeschoolers, and better people. Each week features someone who has had an impact on how I love and learn. These […]
It’s with great pleasure that I introduce you to the person who has had the single greatest impact on me as a mother, role model, and writer. Of course, I’m talking about my mother, Karen O’Connor! We had such a wonderful conversation on the season finale of the podcast—looking back at both my childhood and […]
Every homeschool faces a crisis of some kind. Some of us get the diagnosis that alters the rest of our lives. On this Brave Writer Podcast episode, I welcome my friend and homeschool comrade Joules Evans. Joules faced that life-changing diagnosis in the middle of her homeschooling journey. She talks to us about the brave […]
The insights of homeschooling are transforming traditional education! You are on the cutting edge of that transformation. Today, on the podcast, I have the distinct pleasure of introducing you to an impressive education innovator: Terry Heick. Terry runs the enormously popular website: TeachThought.com. Hundreds of thousands of teachers follow Terry’s work where they learn the principles of […]
As I considered guests for this season of the podcast, it occurred to me that I had never shared our most senior Brave Writer instructor with you! Susanne Barrett and I are homeschool friends, writing colleagues, fellow Californians, and passionate writers. Susanne has taught with Brave Writer for more than a decade, instructing our high […]
Today’s episode will help you learn to trust! As our podcast guest Stephanie likes to quote, “There are no educational emergencies.” We can start with our kids wherever they are, just as they are. Stephanie Elms is a 15 year homeschool veteran and our senior homeschool coach in the Brave Learner Home. She helps parents find […]
Millie Florence is an enthusiastic homeschooler and a published author – and she’s only 14-years-old! Her debut novel, Honey Butter, was published in August 2017, and she’s currently working on two more books: a collection of poems and a fantasy novel. Participating in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, was a life-changing experience for Millie. […]
Today’s episode is sure to tug at your heart strings. I welcome personal friends to the podcast who share the story of their strength in the face of unimaginable loss. They offer their pain and healing to help us understand how to treasure our families, and to support each other when suffering invariably hits. Thank […]
Today’s podcast features Brave Writer colleague and dear friend, Rita Cevasco! Rita is the original creator and architect of the reading and writing program, The Wand, designed for early readers. She’s got 30+ years of experience working with children who struggle with reading, writing, and language processing challenges. In this episode, we talk about homeschooling, […]
Today’s podcast features an intrepid home educator. Ashley and her family love to load up in a vehicle and head out of town for weeks at a time to explore the great big United States while homeschooling their kids. Her tips and tricks for how to keep the homeschooling experience fresh are sure to inspire […]
Today’s podcast features homeschool mom and awesome adult Christy Thomas! Christy came on my radar when I noticed that she did such a great job of selfcare and making personal growth a priority. She’s a stellar homeschool mama who helps other parents prioritize fun, play, and connection in their relationships with their kids. Episode 5: […]
Permit me to gush! Gabrielle Linnell was in my very first Brave Writer class way back in January of 2000. Today, she’s a published author working for the Folger’s Library and student at Oxford! (I like knowing that her very first published work lives in The Writer’s Jungle—page 114). Gabrielle and her mom share about their […]
Season 3 is off to a seismic start! The podcast blasted to the top of the charts for K-12 the first week already, and we’ve loved all your reviews and emails. Thanks for sharing the podcast with your friends. We appreciate you! Episode 3: Christina Celebi! This week’s episode features an adventurer! Meet Christina Celebi. […]
I am thrilled to introduce you to my long-time friend and homeschool mentor, Dotty Christensen. I call her “the magic maker.” I learned more about enchanting a childhood from Dotty than anyone else in my life. She “agreed” to be interviewed for the podcast after spending the day taking my headshots (she’s a photographer too!). […]
It’s with great pleasure that I share with you the dynamic conversation I had with Susan Wise Bauer (beloved author and notable educator). Susan talks about her own homeschooled childhood, her experience home educating her children, and her thoughts on the homeschool culture and how it’s changed over the decades. [This post contains Amazon affiliate […]
While you wait for Season Three of the Brave Writer Podcast, enjoy our interview with a special guest. Brave Writer student Mason Lawler recently self-published his first book and we’re happy to have him on the podcast. 2016 was a rough year – Mason went through surgeries and long recoveries – so his mother focused on […]
Season 2 of the Brave Writer podcast has blown us away! Over 75,000 people have downloaded this season already. We’ve hit #1 in the K-12 Education category on Apple Podcasts multiple times. If you are looking for practical encouragement for your homeschool project, this season’s podcast is for you! I interview parents, just like you, in […]
I’m tickled purple to announce our Season 2, Episode 10 Finale. I have invited the incomparable Melissa Wiley (children’s novelist and homeschool veteran of six!) to join me for a rip-roaring big juicy conversation about home education, special needs kids, her theory of homeschooling (she calls it “tidal homeschooling”) and more. [This post contains Amazon […]
Angela Awald wears a lot of hats. She is a mother of six kids, a certified teacher, a writer, and a doula. She also runs the blog NurturedRoots.net. She’s a classroom teacher turned homeschooler, and transitioning to homeschooling was more difficult than she expected. Learn more about her homeschooling journey on episode 9 of today’s […]
We’re nearing the end of season 2 of the podcast. Hasn’t it been great? Only a couple more weeks! (Shhh: We’re prepping Season 3.) Today I offer you Episode 8 which is with the lovely Chantelle Grubbs of Play 4 Life Moms! She’s a mom who’s truly incorporated the Brave Writer Lifestyle into her large […]
Join us for Episode 7 of our Brave Writer’s Life in Brief podcast! Amy Milcic is a former mental health therapist and a homeschooling parent of five active, busy boys. She has a great blog, Rock Your Homeschool, that will add sparkle to your family’s learning fun. I first ran into Amy on Periscope, where […]
Join us for Episode 6 of our Brave Writer’s Life in Brief podcast! Today we have Mary Wilson with us. Mary is a popular Brave Writer blogger and the only person I know who may love tea more than I do. In her blog, Not Before 7, she writes about homeschooling, parenting, and adventure. Listen […]
Braveschoolers, it’s true. Nadine Dyer, friend of Brave Writer, has broken up with our dear Charlotte. The horror! I urge you to tune in to Episode 5 of the podcast to find out why. Nadine shares great stories of how she and her son overcame his resistance to math, how she’s applied the insights of poetry teatime to […]
Isn’t this fun? I am loving our new season of the podcast. In Week 3, we went over 17,000 downloads. Whaaaat?! Thank you. So glad the podcast is meeting a need. The wonderful Alicia Hutchinson is up next. She’s a powerhouse of support and help to homeschoolers. Her community called “Learning Well” offers parents practical imaginative ideas to […]
[This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!] We have a BONUS podcast for you! We had the opportunity to chat with Kwame Alexander, the Newbery winning poet whose books are turning a whole generation of Internet […]
On today’s podcast I sit down to discuss how the Brave Writer Lifestyle draws on diverse experiences to provide excellent home education. Julie Kirkwood, our guest, is a mom to three kids who believes in the value of curiosity, exploration and a daily dose of nature in her homeschool world. She created the fantastic home […]
Woo hoo! The new season of “A Brave Writer’s Life in Brief” podcast is underway! We’re blown away by how many of you have subscribed, downloaded the podcasts, and are leaving reviews. Thank you so much! It helps us get the word out. These podcasts are interviews with Brave Writer Moms who are living the Brave Writer […]
It’s baaaaaack! My podcast that lurched along at my whim, not on any schedule, has returned—with a schedule and a podcast engineer! I’m excited about Season 2 especially, because I’ve turned to real experts in the homeschool adventure—not celebrities, not curriculum providers. These podcasts are interviews with Brave Writer Moms who are living the Brave […]
Here’s the complete first season of our “A Brave Writer’s Life in Brief” podcast! We’re pleased as punch to have so many special guests join us, including acclaimed author, Jane Yolen (ep. 19). In the episodes we discuss writing, home education, parenting, and poetry. Plus the season hosts the popular Natural Stages of Growth in […]
Today we welcome one of the most prolific writers of children’s fantasy and poetry, Jane Yolen! [This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases,Brave Writer receives compensation at no extra cost to you. Thank you!] When I began my freelance writing career, I chose the picture book genre. […]
Fun week with The Homeschool Sisters! Cait and Kara: interview me on their podcast! take over the Brave Writer Instagram account on Wednesday showcase the Brave Writer Lifestyle on their blog host a contest with a prize from Play4LifeMom! Meet Kara and Caitlin, The Homeschool Sisters! Kara Cait These two spunky, creative homeschooling moms have […]
Today we’d like to welcome two amazing women who are on the cutting edge of children’s poetry. Janet Wong is a prolific writer of poetry and short stories for young people. Her work has received wide recognition from shows like Oprah Winfrey to awards such as the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature. She is […]
I’m excited to introduce you to my good friend (and sorority sister, ha!) Leslie Gustafson! Leslie’s worked as a marriage and family therapist for over 25 years and is also a homeschooling mother. Because so many have asked me for help with how to keep your marriage thriving while dedicated to homeschooling your kids, I […]
by Nancy Graham Brave Writer writing coach, Jean Hall, and I hooked up for an online conversation about the SAT/ACT Essay class and what students get out of taking it. Jean is a former newspaper reporter and literary magazine editor who homeschooled three children from birth—now they’re grown up, but Jean still has a house full […]
Image of Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is by Melissa Deakin It was my delight and privilege to talk with Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. Her poetry is delicious—like a strawberry smoothie or a fresh mint lemonade. She brings vowels and consonants together in ways that leave the mouth happy and satisfied. Not only that, her family lives in […]
Welcome to our first Poetry Teatime Podcast! I was honored to interview Marilyn Singer, award-winning poet and author. Marilyn and I met for the interview long distance—she, in her home in Brooklyn, and me, Julie, in a library in Cincinnati. Unfortunately the library failed us, a bit. The Internet connection was variable throughout and you […]
Enjoy this podcast with Pam at Ed Snapshots. We discuss freewriting and how to create a writing environment where children’s ideas are respected, the parent-child relationship is valued, and there is only one rule: keep your pencil moving until the timer beeps. Listen to the podcast here!
Here is Part Two of the Savvy Homeschool Mom’s interview with Julie! LISTEN NOW If you missed Part One you can find information about it here.
The Savvy Homeschool Moms is a podcast by homeschooling moms for homeschooling moms. “In the trenches as we’re going through it!” Each episode peeks into Beckie and Tina’s homeschooling lives, answers listener questions, and reviews resources they like and recommend. Enjoy Episode #59 where the Savvy Moms share updates on their homeschools and then interview […]
My daughter, Johannah, was in town and my son, Noah, was downtown. I brought them together in my backyard for a live broadcast. They share about their homeschool experiences growing up, what they are doing, and answer questions from parents. I am hyper and too loud and talk too fast. I was proud and nervous […]
After a long, dark slumber, we return! In fact, we recorded this podcast a couple months after recording the previous, Englishes, but because of complications in life, it sat forgotten and ignored on the Internet. No links, no listeners, no happiness. No more! Please join us as we tackle a topic close to my heart, […]
Understanding a young writer’s stages of growth is vital. In my years of working with families, I’ve found that it is much more effective to look at how writers grow naturally than to focus on scope and sequence, grade level, ages, or the types of writing that ought to be done in some “established sequence.” […]
What is the relationship between speech and writing? For those of you who are long-term Brave Writer fans, you’ll know that I refer to Dr. Peter Elbow as “my mentor.” His vision for writing has long guided how I teach. [This post contains Amazon affiliate links. When you click on those links to make purchases, […]
I’ve written about the One Thing Principle many times. In this Brave Writer podcast, though, I wanted to share with you in more detail about how to get that fantasy homeschool you imagine into the real world of your routine family practice. Noah shares about our family and what we did that he remembers and […]
Finally!! We are at the end of our series “The Natural Stages of Growth in Writing.” This podcast features discussion about the high school writing life, on into college. Don’t miss it! It will help to shape your philosophy of writing, not just your program for writing. Enjoy! Julie To help grow writers at this […]
Today’s podcast (podcast player at the bottom of this entry) features children’s author and home educator, Melissa Wiley. Melissa and I met in 2005 online and instantly formed a wonderful connection around writing and homeschool. Her most recent children’s novel, The Prairie Thief, is the featured title for the October Arrow. You may purchase it […]
In this podcast Brave Writer friend, Rita Cevasco, discusses the role of the brain in writing as well as how to teach the mechanics in a way that actually leads to their incorporation in the original writing task. Enjoy. Julie
This is our 5th podcast in the series related to the Natural Stages of Growth in writing. We started discussing the Transition to Ownership stage in the last episode and this is the second half of that conversation. You’ll want to listen to Part One first. We continue our discussion of your role in the […]
This is our first of a two part discussion of the Transition to Ownership stage of writing growth. This is the time when your 13-14 year olds (8th-9th graders) are making the somewhat treacherous journey from adorable, fact-centered child to rhetorical imagination (the awareness that the world is inhabited by unlimited numbers of perspectives). Noah helps […]
Today’s podcast features the characteristics of writers between the ages of 11-12. Join us as we look at how you can create the conditions for growth and joy in writing with your kids. Julie Faltering Ownership A year-long language arts program for 11–12 year olds (age range is approximate). Faltering Ownership gives you step by […]
We press on! This week’s podcast is the second in the series where we look at each of the natural developmental stages of growth in writing. This particular episode focuses on the most overlooked stage of development in the writing journey and accounts for the development of writer’s block and writing resistance in kids. If […]
This Brave Writer podcast is the first in a series where we look at each of the natural developmental stages of growth in writing. Today’s stage: Jot It Down! In my years of working with families, I’ve found that it is much more effective to look at how writers grow naturally than to focus on […]
In our second podcast Noah and I look at how a parent can help a child understand the value of writing in his or her life rather than resenting or resisting it. Noah shares memories from when we worked on writing together when he was young. And we added intro music. This is too fun! […]