In our house, reading time often includes classical music, mismatched teacups from Goodwill, and a few sticky fingers reaching for pretend sugar cubes. It’s our version of calm: a cozy tea time that also happens to double as reading practice. No worries if a cup breaks — we thrift them just for this. Recently, I […]

Let’s be real: elementary teachers are basically unicorns in sneakers. We juggle glitter glue explosions, phonics, fractions, and that one kid who insists on calling you “Mom.” Every. Single. Day. So when someone mentions trying something new, like Genius Hour, it might feel like one more plate to spin (or one more Pinterest board to […]

Have you ever witnessed your preschooler’s eyes light up with excitement when they stumble upon something they’re truly curious about? Their natural sense of wonder is a powerful tool waiting to be harnessed in their educational journey. But how can we, as homeschool families, turn that curiosity into meaningful learning experiences? The answer lies in […]

An official definition for PBL would be something like “A framework or “skeleton” for engaging students in authentic real world challenges or problems through content knowledge.” But for me, Project Based Learning is the instructional model I use when developing my yearly goals, curriculum maps, and scope/sequence aligned assessments. It is the means by which […]

How can parents help with PBL? How do we build parent support for PBL (Project Based Learning) in our classrooms? By utilizing and informing the caring adults that raise and encourage our students, we can increase engagement and involvement. According to an article in “Public School Review,” parent involvement leads to better classroom behavior and […]