The transition from summer to school can be a struggle for everyone in the family. The early wake-up calls, the after-school activities, and the (ahem) homework means all you really want to do is hit the snooze button. Again. We’ve all been there. You grow accustomed to your leisurely summer lifestyle, but back-to-school time throws [...]
Whether you're the student or the parent, the end of the school year is always the most difficult. Students contract “summer fever” as the end of the year approaches and begin to slack off and lose interest in school work. It is extremely important to finish the school year strong, so we have put together [...]
Every subject that is systematic has a certain inherent order to it that dictates its approach. For some subjects, this order is more explicit than in others. In mathematics, for example, there is a widely acknowledged sequence of what should be learned and when it should be taught. When working in other subjects, such as [...]
Let's be frank for a moment. Homeschool days can be hard enough on their own. Throw a toddler into the mix and it can feel like pure chaos! Thankfully, we have several families who've survived the toddlerschool years (the years when you homeschool kids and have a toddler at home who isn't old enough to [...]
With homework assignments, music lessons, church, and extracurriculars... one important activity is unfortunately easy to push aside: reading for fun. It can be tempting after a long day of learning and doing homework to let your kids unwind at night with a television show or a tablet. But research has proven time and time again, that childhood [...]
The Daddy Daughter Dance is a wonderful opportunity for GDA's little girls to dress up and spend a fun evening with Dad or a significant male role model. We'd like to encourage all of you to not only attend, but also to take advantage of the teaching moments this provides. Children are special and [...]
In recent years, cognitive scientists have shown that a few simple study habit tips can reliably improve what matters most: how much a student learns from studying. The findings can help anyone, from a fourth grader doing long division to a retiree taking on a new language. But they directly contradict much of the common [...]
Parent-teacher conferences offer great opportunities to deepen your working relationship with the teacher. It's a time set aside once a year to highlight student strengths, discuss academic or social concerns, and share information about child development. A little thinking and planning will help you make the most of this great opportunity. Respect Everyone's Time [...]
If you talk to parents or teachers about the components that make up a solid classical education, the answers vary greatly. Some people say classical education means a chronological study of history. Others say classical education means a rigorous curriculum. Perhaps the best answer adopts the trivium as its model: the grammar, logic, and [...]
Wordly Wise is a great online vocabulary tool that we're proud to use as part of our curriculum. While a great number of families use it without issue, there are times when the quirks of technology pop up and cause some strange glitches. If you have trouble, give these Wordly Wise troubleshooting tips a [...]
