Happy Hive Homeschooling

Hey Reader, Looking for last-minute activities for the holiday weekend? Sara at Heart and Soul Homeschooling has a great blog post to guide you through setting up a patriotic playdough tray. It's a fun way to encourage your kids to use their imaginations while also developing fine motor skills and enjoying sensory play. Be sure to download the companion printable activity pages for the 4th of July. In the Shop, Sarah has an amazing set of President Printables for only $5.00. Elizabeth from...

Hive Happenings Small shifts. Big homeschool wins. This week inside The Buzz on Homeschooling, we talked about chores, responsibility, and why some of the most meaningful learning doesn't happen at a desk. We redefined what "school" can look like because the dishwasher, the laundry basket, and even baking cookies have been teaching lessons all along. Sometimes you just have to... look again. 🐝 🌼 Biggest Shift This week, we stopped measuring homeschooling by completed lessons and started...

Hey Reader, I want to show you something. 🎥Butterfly Fly Away That's the moment my oldest daughter drove away to begin her next adventure in life. Her sister rode along to help her get settled. Her brother stayed behind with a crying momma. She was ready. I wasn't. Before you blink three times...this day will come. I know you don't want to, but fast-forward your own life, just for a minute. Your baby is on their own, first apartment secured. The boxes are unpacked. The refrigerator has food...

Hey Reader, When I was a kid, and it was time to do the dishes… I suddenly had to go to the bathroom. Then my brothers caught on, and it was a race to see who could get to the bathroom first and who was left doing the dishes. Looking back, I don't think it was ever really about the dishes. I just didn't have the words to explain what I was feeling. Years later, after becoming both a teacher and a homeschool mom, I realized something. Most kids aren't actually avoiding the chore. They're...

Hey Reader, America's Big Birthday Weekend is just one short week away! Do you have plans to celebrate? Perhaps you'll be spending a quiet day at home, watching the festivities on television. Whatever your plans, these resources can help keep kids entertained, AND learning. First up, my friend Christine from Blooming Brilliant has an easy 4th of July craft that uses dollar store supplies and takes minutes. Whether you are homeschooling through the summer, looking for something to do at a...

Hey Reader, For a few days, I've given you a little peek into my life as a classroom teacher. Missed them? No worries: Frog Funeral and Ask a Million Questions Day Spoiler alert: I left teaching to become a homeschool mom. I taught in public and private schools. I knew how to write lesson plans, manage a classroom, follow a curriculum, teach multiple subjects, and keep a group of students moving through the school year. But then I brought education home to my own children, and I quickly...

Hey Reader, No, today isn't the wacky holiday "Ask a Million Questions Day". I'm going to flash back to my classroom teaching days with you again when I posted this on Facebook: Just about an hour to go- I hate to count the minutes, but today was ask Mrs. Gandara 1,000,000 questions day. ❓"Mrs. Gandara. I have a question. You know when adults say bad words? Those are interjections, right? Are we going to learn those?" (Middle School English student) ❓"Mrs. Gandara, if Adam and Eve didn't sin,...

Hey Reader, Have I ever told you about the time, as a classroom teacher, I held a funeral for a frog? I probably haven't shared this. It doesn't come up in conversation much... Way back in the time of the dinosaurs...the 1990s ...One of my fourth-grade students had a pet frog named Rojo. Every day, "Kylie" would come in and share a little tidbit about Rojo. The other students were deeply invested in the adventures of Rojo. It was a highlight of our morning. And let me tell you, frogs don't do...

Hey Reader, Another week has simply flown by! Do you feel the same? I'm in full-blown summer mode here in the hive... but that doesn't mean I'm slowing down! I'm working on so many fun things behind the scenes, and I can't wait to share them with you! Since they are not quite ready to be revealed, I'll share with you these fun finds from the homeschool world: If you have a reader between 8 and 13 who loves The Chronicles of Narnia, or reading in general, Laurel over at Story Seekers put...