Resources: Catholic and Homeschooling combined

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Do you want a recommendation for one of the best homeschool resources? Do you want to imbue your homeschool with Catholicity and love of learning? Have I got a recommendation for you!

Have you seen the only Catholic, homeschooling quarterly available? mater et magistra (a quarterly for which I'm proud to write the handcrafts column) is an amazing publication! The name says it all: Mother and Teacher which is what the Church is for us all; but in lower case letters it's what each one of us is in the hearts of our homes: mother and teacher!

Each issue has a theme which means these are definite keepers for future projects. The volunteer contributors are experienced homeschoolers with lots of great information for incorporating the arts, sciences, books and crafts into our learning adventures. Margot works hard to give the magazine a sophisticated feel with lots of depth to the articles.

If you haven't seen this magazine ... ask around or better yet, go to one of the many regional homeschool conferences (for instance, Margot will be at IHM this next weekend) and look for the m-et-m table! I really do thing you'll like what you see and want to subscribe to the only Catholic homeschool magazine out there. And at $20 for 4 issues, it's a great price too!

Review: Webinars and Wittmann!

Did you make it to the Wittman webinar on Wednesday evening (try saying that 5 times really fast)? What a GREAT time was had by all.

This is the first on-line conference I've attended and, although I'm a tech-head, I was a bit wary of the whole concept. I mean, c'mon, I love sitting in front of the computer like most folks but an hour and a half of just sitting (albeit, I'd be knitting), listening and watching ... sounded a bit over the top.

Well, let me tell you -- this is pretty slick. I got to sit and listen to Maureen and her presentation about teaching art and music using living books. AT THE SAME TIME, I could ask questions, chat with others or generally cut-up through the chat feature (just typing, no mike needed). Maureen, pro that she is, was keeping one eye on her presentation and one eye on the chat window so she could add her two bits too! VERY COOL.

Maureen's presentation was, as usual, excellent. Many of the books mentioned are in her classic, living teaching book, For the Love of Literature: Teaching Core Subjects with Literature. As a matter of fact, on of the participants had the forethought to have the book available so she could stick post-its as fast as Maureen commented on one book after another. But more than just repeating what she has in her book, Maureen did a great job of "playing to her audience" by keeping the flow going, by responding to questions or comments lobbed in the chat window, by generally giving us her "full monty" from the comforts of our own homes. I was surprised how quickly the technology took backstage to the presentation and it was almost as if she were in my living room giving the talk!

Walter Crawford, the brains behind the Homeschool Connection idea has partnered with Maureen to increase the number of webinars, making them all free. Additionally, the team is devising on-line classes for high school and middle school students. The first course will be a government course taught by the head of the Michigan pro-life committee! Check out the Homeschool Connection website for further information ....

All the webinars are now free, thanks to some amazing homeschool resource suppliers. For instance, the webinar on Wednesday was sponsored by Love2Learn.net and Margot at Hillside Education gave away THREE one-year subscriptions to her amazing Catholic homeschool quarterly, mater et magistra. I'm proud to say that I write the handcrafts column for this beautifully edited one-of-a-kind magazine!

In addition, you can actually download past webinars (including the one I attended), and you can replay it at your leisure. You'll get not only the presentation but you'll also have the actual "chat room" text that occured at the same time. You can save the webinar to your computer and replay it whenever you feel the need to spunk up your home-education adventure.

I love this stuff!

Conferences: How cool is this?

How can you hear GREAT speakers on all kinds of different subjects and never leave the comfort of your home, even if you're in your pajamas?

Check out Homeschool Connections for the latest in technology: webinars!

I want to sign-up to listen to Maureen Wittmann talk about How to Teach Art and Music Appreciation with Real Books. I'm so excited as this is just how I love to teach -- using real (that is, NOT twaddle) -- to pass on information to my lovely children. The live broadcast is scheduled for March 4th and only costs $10 for 90 minutes of Maureen! How cool is THAT?

To sweeten the deal a bit, Margot Davidson, the publisher of mater et magistra Catholic homeschool magazine, will be giving away TWO free subscriptions during the webinar.

So what are you waiting for? Join me at home -- pajamas are allowed!

Check out the Homeschool Connections website for other webinars -- live or recorded, free or minimal cost -- and enjoy hearing wonderful Catholic homeschool speakers in the comfort of your own home.