Wind Rose Homeschool Academy Blog

Respecting and protecting the interconnectedness of the natural world is a core value for our family, so when we began homeschooling, we knew that we would devote time and space to examining our role in protecting the environment. One of our children is very sensitive and quite prone to anxiety, so anytime we engage in learning that involves a call to action, it's important that I tread carefully and ensure that while she hears the message of urgency, she feels safe and empowered. Thus, it was important to me that we focus on stories about activists who saw a need and were successful in their endeavors and that we talk about how we can support our local environment in Kansas.  As we delved into these stories together, we were able to examine cause and effect relationships, how the various parts of our web of existence affects one another, and how we as a part of that web can have positive effects. If You're Not From the Prairie by David Bouchard We started with thi...

One of the most important learning spaces in our home is the Safe Place, which we learned about from Conscious Discipline, founded by Dr. Becky Bailey.  This is a place for our children to go when they are feeling upset to process their feelings, calm, and problem solve. We have been using the Safe Place for six years now; our oldest is twelve and still sometimes goes to the Safe Place.  The children chose two locations for our Safe Places: one in the living room behind a chair and one in the dining room. The children work through the five phases when they are there: I am, I calm, I feel, I choose, and I solve. When they were younger, we spent most of the time one of our children was in the Safe Place with them.  Now, less. Example Use with Younger Child My child is writing in a book she's making but she is frustrated with the way her handwriting looks.  She shouts and throws her pencil. I take a few deep breaths to be calm before I talk to her.  Throw...