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Overcome Learning Plateaus

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

While pregnant with my first child, Mr. Senior 2013, I was inspired by an article that encouraged homeschoolers to avoid a bookish routine in favor of real-life learning. However, out of fear, public popularity, and because I thought delight directed interest-led homeschooling meant wild abandon of any worthwhile learning, I followed with strict allegiance a bookish routine.

Then, as my sons grew and our lack of real-life learning lagged, I made a scary leap to interest-led learning.

It was scary because I was comfortable in my Nazi teacher approach.

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow. Interest-led learning is the fuel the sparks lifelong learning. Getting started can be intimidating.Understanding delight directed is imperative. Click here to follow these 19 delight directed interest-led homeschool blogs!

I never felt like a nature loving or craft loving mother which was my impression of interest-led homeschooling. Lame, I know.As my love for teaching grew and realizing that my sons were in an apprenticeship for life, my day to day teaching lacked real-life application.

Soon after, I switched to a unit study approach which is based on mastery of interest-led topics.

Interest-led learning is the fuel that sparks lifelong learning.

Let me back up first and try to capture a simple meaning of interest-led and delight directed learning.

Interest-led and delight directed for our family means using a child’s natural love of learning to pursue subjects that spark his love of learning. Not the other way around. Academic subjects are centered around a child’s passion and then they take on life.

Although public school touts mastery, the truth of it is just the opposite.

A child never explores any passion in depth but is expected to be a jack of all trades or skills. He ends up master of none.

My switch to an interest-led unit study approach reminds me of the quote from Greg Harris which is indelibly imprinted in my memory.

A delight directed study is like a wonderful fire in the mind of a student. It starts small, but as it grows, it begins to consume vast amounts of information until it bursts into a roaring blaze of insight, understanding and creativity. It takes on a life of its own.

It doesn’t mean that there is no discipline or schedule which I thrive in, but it means guidance by the parent. It’s not indulgent, but reactive.

After I switched to interest-led homeschooling using lapbooks as our projects, it has been one choice I’ve never regretted for a moment.

I do regret lingering around the bookish approach for the first 5 years of my journey. Hopefully, you won’t make my same mistake.

To help you make the leap to interest-led and delight directed homeschooling, I’ve rounded up 19 blogs that I follow and you should too which emphasize this approach.

I’ll let each one introduce herself and tell you a bit about her blog.

Delight Directed Homeschooling

►I’m Rachel, and I blog at You’ve Got This Math.

I believe that math should be fun and hands -on. You’ve Got This Math focuses on ways to build number and fraction sense with free printables.

►I’m Susan Evans, and I blog at Susan Evans I love unit studies, themed cakes and parties, skits, re-enactments, and anything hands-on!

►I celebrate the homeschool lifestyle and frequently talk about learning through travel and adventures at This Crazy Homeschool Life.

►Hello! Hola! 你好！My name is Eva. My blog, Eva Varga focus centers around middle school science, specifically hands-on activities, service learning experiences, and project based learning – Minecraft and philatelic exhibits.

Additionally, we strive to expand our understanding of the world through our own cultural heritage and the exploration of diverse cultures (language studies and global travel).

►Hey hey! My name is Amy & I blog at Rock Your Homeschool.

My unique slant is to use Dr. Seuss to teach a love of reading. Also, I use Life of Fred for math learning fun. My five boys & I use brain breaks to keep our homeschool moving.

►Hi! My name is Joan and I write at Unschool Rules.

My unique slant it that we have used movies, video games and life learning as the basis for our entire high-school curriculum for my now 17-year-old daughter, and have a college-accepted transcript to show for it!

►Hey, hey! I’m Tiffany and I blog at Homeschool Hideout.

We are lazy homeschoolers so we like to binge-watch educational shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. We can cover everything from science and history to problem solving, without ever leaving the couch!

►Hi! My name is Colleen. I write all about raising kids to be lifelong learners through interest-led, hands-on homeschooling and parenting with a heavy focus on science, the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional kiddos, and cultivating creativity in all kids.

You’ll find monthly themed book and game lists, Minecraft challenge calendars, and loads of hands-on experiments on Raising Lifelong Learners and conversations with parents on our podcast — launching January 15th.

►Hello! My name is Jenny and I blog at Faith and Good Works. Our homeschool uses free internet resources for unit studies.

►Hi, I’m Ginny, and I offer authentic, hands-on writing experiences to help parents create a culture of writers (and thinkers) at home.
I blog at Not So Formulaic.

►Hello, my name is Sheila, publisher of Brain Power Boys. 

My unique slant is that our site has a lot of hands-on learning projects geared specifically toward boys. We focus on things they like, such as LEGO, Minecraft, Star Wars and topics which include pirates, robots, dinosaurs, knights and more to help them learn reading, science, history, math and other subjects a fun and natural way.

►I’m Ashley, and I love creating thematic unit studies.

We use a variety of resources from fun hands-on activities and great literature to movies and media. My goal is to inspire a love of learning and enrich our studies in every subject from math and science to history and grammar! Please join me in The Homeschool Resource Room! 

►Hi, I’m Erin and I blog over at The Usual Mayhem.

We focus on learning using nature on our cornerstone but occasionally head off into rabbit trails for months at a time (like my son’s year long obsession with King Arthur).

You can find all sort of nature themed posts and other fun on my blog.

►Hi, I’m Sara and I blog at Embracing Destiny. We focus on delight directed, literature-rich (living books) studies in our homeschool.

I’ve created some free Interest Inventory printables to encourage others to follow their child’s interests to foster a lifelong love of learning. We enjoy hands-on creative projects like lapbooking, notebooking, and unit studies. You can find my Ultimate Guide to Delight Directed Homeschooling cornerstone post here.

How to Make Your Homeschool Specialized

►Hi I’m Tricia Hodges at Chalk Pastel. We are a multi-generational homeschooling family.

My mother, Nana, my children and I are passionate about helping all ages lose insecurities and realize that yes, indeed, you ARE an artist. We JUST use chalk pastels and paper. No long, intimidating art supply list. Build confidence, choose favorite subjects and have FUN. We show you how with video art lessons, Facebook Live lessons and so much more to choose from. It’s not just one more thing to do, it’s a great way to make what you are already doing MORE fun while growing a LOVE of art! Art really does complement and help all other subjects.

►This is Ticia here, and over at Adventures in Mommydom I have three unique learners that keep me on my toes.

To stay ahead we cook our way around the world (with mixed results), read book and see how horribly the movie messed up the book, and use LEGOs to recreate history lessons (as well as a few other things). It’s learning adventures at the speed of fun.

►Hi, I’m Cindy West from Our Journey Westward. Teaching creatively is a top priority to meet the needs of my unique children and that’s exactly what I write about on the blog.

Active children excel through nature-based science activities . Reluctant writers blossom with picture book lessons. Struggling learners and those with attention issues make giant leaps through brain training games. And those are just a few examples of the creative learning ideas you’ll find at Our Journey Westward!

►Hi! My name is Pat Fenner and I blog at Breakthrough Homeschooling where I encourage and equip homeschooling parents of teens to homeschool through high school.

I believe in using life-learning and interest-led studies as a basis for a high school curriculum, and am convinced that college isn’t the only path to a successful future!

Then of course, I would love for you to follow my blog! Click below!

Take your homeschool from mediocre to true mastery by following an interest-led approach.

19 Delight Directed Interest-Led Homeschool Blogs To Follow. Interest-led learning is the fuel the sparks lifelong learning. Getting started can be intimidating.Understanding delight directed is imperative. Click here to follow these 19 delight directed interest-led homeschool blogs!

You’ll never teach your child everything he needs to know before he graduates, but you’ll teach him how to find out anything he wants to.

I know you’ll love these other super helpful tips!

Hugs and love ya,

The Dos & Don’ts When You Hit A Learning Plateau in Homeschooling

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The stages of learning can be like the ocean. It can be churning and grinding and you can ride high on the swells and then it can dip down low and almost be motionless.

When You Hit A Learning Plateau in Homeschooling

Everybody at one time or another rides those waves of learning. Surviving the wild ride though can be quite another thing.

Also, it can be hard to know if the rest of your children are on target because you may only have the experience of your oldest child, which may not have struggled much with any subjects.

If you plow ahead with the curriculum like something is wrong with your child instead of the curriculum or the skill that is being taught, then you might be banging your head against a wall.

Believe me, I have done it and not only does it zap you of energy, but tears normally follow.

Here are some things that have worked not only for my boys, but also for others that I have helped.

Are You Making these Mistakes When You Hit a Homeschool Learning Plateau? The stages of learning can be like the ocean. It can be churning and grinding and you can ride high on the swells and then it can dip down low and almost be motionless. Click here to grab some tried and true tips!

4 Short Cuts to Overcoming Learning Plateaus in Homeschooling

  • Do stop.  You may think that this is easy to do, but not when you feel like your kids are already behind. The reason to stop is to re-evaluate so that you can make progress. It’s hard to remember, but stay honed in on the goal that you want your children to learn instead of completing assigned work.
  • Do communicate with your child.  Don’t try to figure this out by yourself. If your child can talk and explain his feelings, then he should be able to tell you how he feels. No, you are not looking for him to figure out the problem, that is your job. Let him express how this skill or subject makes him feel. From the youngest child to the teen, all they want is to know we are listening. Listen not just with your ears, but with your heart. Listen for key words that tell you if he is frustrated.  If he is, this could mean that he is not developmental ready for the material. Too, this may give you a clue that it may be that nasty old word: rebellion. Your child may not be hitting a learning plateau at all, but might be heading toward being a learning rebel. More times than not though, my experience has been that it is a learning plateau.
  • Do take advantage of free online tests or consultations. Children just need time at certain stages in their life and learning to marinate a little longer with subjects. So going back over what they know does not make them get behind, but actually they become masters of learning. For example, when teaching a child how to read, don’t move them on to the next level book if they struggle with each page at the current level.  Move them down a notch to a book they have mastered and it will boost confidence, instill a love for reading, and give them a real can do attitude. Too, it allows them to stay at that skill level until they are ready for the next skill. Also, most homeschool friendly companies are very parent friendly and they know best how their curriculum should be used. Call them and convey your concerns. Give them a chance to give you a tip or two.

  • Vary the routine or approach. This seems to be the biggest hurdle to overcoming a learning plateau.  One year, Mr. Awesome was struggling with grammar and vocabulary.  I realized that he wasn’t understanding it when reading on his own. Even though we discussed it orally, he didn’t get it when he did the practice problems. It was hard to determine if we were on target or if he needed to go down a level.  I started doing the whole lesson orally and he got past the plateau. At that time, he learned better by still interacting with me.  We were able to go ahead with it, but I had to change what I was doing because he understood it better by using his auditory skills and hands-on index cards.  I made it fun by using index cards to stick all over him to help him remember words. We took what could have been something we both were frustrated with and turned it into fun and something memorable. I value the look on his face and the fun he has had because that is what has spurred us on now into his high school years.
  • Don’t compare children. And, I don’t mean just within your family.That is something as home educators we almost never try to do in our own home, but then we look at other families’ children and try to go there.  It never works.  For example, I have seen some kids who are very knowledgeable on rocks, or caves, or dinosaurs, but then another child who hardly mentions the words in their school. What are we to surmise? That one child is ahead and the other child is behind. A huge No!  Homeschoolers are as unique as each of your children and the truth of it is that many homeschoolers can go through their whole journey and never do an in depth study of rocks, caves or dinosaurs. Children do not need to learn the same in depth level on each subject. This is a true gem in homeschooling because we don’t produce miniature robots of each other. Find out what you want YOUR child to know from this skill or subject and move on or stay on it.

If you have to stay on a skill or level or even return weeks or months later to it, count your blessings that you have the freedom to do so.

Like the ocean, learning has an ebb and flow and you will not always be moving forward.

Sometimes you just have to float gently along and take in the sites. When you do, try to remember that floating along is still forward movement, even in baby steps. That is progress.

Are You Making these Mistakes When You Hit a Homeschool Learning Plateau? The stages of learning can be like the ocean. It can be churning and grinding and you can ride high on the swells and then it can dip down low and almost be motionless. Click here to grab some tried and true tips!

Have you hit a learning plateau yet? What do you do?

You may also love these tips:

The Dos and Don'ts When You Hit a Homeschool Learning Plateau

Hugs and love ya,

When You Are Afraid of Homeschool Science Gaps

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When You're Afraid of Homeschool Science Gaps @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

I was given a free copy of this book and I was paid for my time. However, paid for my time does not mean paid off.  ALL opinions are my own and for sure I will always tell you what is on my mind. Your experience may vary. When I do accept a review it’s because I am giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here.

Homeschool science gaps or holes in what we’re teaching can make us panic, but we have many resources at our finger tips, which can lessen homeschool fears and one valuable tool is Air Is Not Oxygen: Essential Science You Should Have Learned … But Probably Didn’t.

Did You Miss these Essential Science Concepts?

First, look at these three other posts, Free Moon Journal, Electricity Hands on Science Activity and Erosion Easy Hands-on Science Activity where I share easy hands-on activities from Air Is Not Oxygen because I don’t want you to miss them and the free printable.

There were several things that drew us in to want to use and review Air Is Not Oxygen, but the main lure I was giddy about was that it explains science concepts in a way easy to understand.

This reminds me of other curriculum that we have been drawn to that gives us the broad strokes, which I feel are important for several reasons.

One| Covering the essentials are stepping stones to in depth studying.

I have always confessed that I run the other way from science topics, but not my boys.

Tiny is no exception. So not only am I sure that he is covering essentials, which are easily explained like Newton’s laws and changes in the earth, but having a basic framework gives Tiny a foundation on which to build a solid science study.

Two| Broad strokes means mastery.

Mastery learning appeals to both a student that is advanced or a student that struggles with basic concepts.

This means that Air Is Not Oxygen can be used with elementary aged children or kids getting ready to enter high school, who may not have covered basic science concepts adequately.

For a child that is younger and has a love for science, they’ll love mastering concepts quickly instead of using a spiral approach to science.

Also, Air Is Not Oxygen is a great fit for an older student who may feel like he is behind. Quickly covering basic essentials gives a high school student a boost in science and can rekindle his love for science.

Three| If a mom student is science phobic, he’ll love this book.

I was especially drawn to this book because it fits the way I think kids and adults should learn when they may not like a subject.

With few details and emphasis on hands-on activities within each chapter, it makes learning science simple, fun and interactive.

What Would Your Ideal Homeschool Science Curriculum Contain?

Air Is Not Oxygen draws you into the subjects because they are witty, short and concise.

When you’re short on time (who isn’t these days), you’ll love the fact that many of the supplies for science activities are things like paper cups, plastic spoons, pie pans and straws, which are things you have around your house.

I don’t need another exhaustive list to make of science supplies we wouldn’t use later. I like uncomplicated supplies and your kitchen and home will have most of the supplies.

For quite a few of the activities, Tiny just gathered up the supplies and he was ready to go.

Did I mention the chapters are short? Tiny easily read the book in just a few days.

Of course, we went back and did the activities, but the short chapters with simple explanations was a huge hit with him.

I like the What You Learned bullets at the end of the chapter because it made for a quick review.

And if I could make up my own science curriculum it would certainly be a lot like Air Is Not Oxygen  , with no worksheets, lots of easy hands-on activities to do with multiple ages of children and a review.

If you are like me, you want to be able to explore curriculum freely and jump around from topic to topic. I gave Tiny the book and instead of reading it in order, he started with Newton’s Laws, went to the chapter on electricity and headed over to earth changes, then fossils and after that I can’t remember.

I love the fact that Tiny could skip around and learn what interested him first and I can plan our unit studies by picking and choosing activities that match our unit study topic.

You’ll want to include this nifty resource in your must-haves for science curriculum.

Product Facts a Glance 2

Here are a few other things you’ll want to know that made a difference to me.

  • Author Bill Morelan, Ph.D is a pioneer homeschooler, teaching his two daughters at home in the early 1980s. Both of his girls went on to achieve advanced degrees, and today one is a highly-respected elementary teacher, while the other is actively involved in the homeschool movement.
  • The book covers physical, life and earth and space science.
  • It is a multiple age resource and that includes adults who may be lacking in their science education.
  • It is a super resource for myth busters, like air is not oxygen.
  • It meets the national Science Standards.
  • Concepts are simplified for clarity.
  • Each chapter has more than one hands-on activity.

Purchase the book here: Air Is Not Oxygen: Essential Science You Should Have Learned … But Probably Didn’t!
Grades: elementary to high school
Type of Format: paperback
Price: $12.95

I highly recommend this book if you are a science phobic teaching mama, have a kid that loves science or one that feels he may have missed out on some essential concepts.

Hugs and love ya,

Tina Signature 2015c

All product information is correct and accurate as of the date of this review.

Also, grab these free resources to round out a study about life, physical and earth science.

Learn About Leap Year Free Notebooking Page, Human Body Unit Study and Five Free and Fun Hands-on Science Activities.