PODCAST · kids
Simple Wonders
by Jessica
Simple Wonders supports parents in their role as teachers by discussing big ideas about education and parenting. We’ll cover topics like how children learn, which teaching methods are most effective, and how to nurture a child’s heart and mind. Jessica Smith (CFLE-P) discusses the parallels between the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy, and scientific research. Most importantly, parents will learn how to apply these big ideas in simple ways to create a home-based education for their family.
Episodes
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How to Teach Drawing at Home
Drawing is one of those skill-based subjects that every person should learn, like math and language arts.Knowing how to express your thoughts and ideas visually is so important! But how do you teach it at home? Especially if you’re not confident in your own drawing abilities. Luckily, there are…
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How I Teach Writing and Grammar at Home
Sentence diagramming, learning the technical terms for parts of language, direct writing instruction... does it REALLY work? NO!The way most of us have been taught grammar -- sentence diagramming, direct instruction, separate writing classes -- isn't actually effective in making us better…
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How to Teach Math At Home Using Charlotte Mason's Methods
Teaching math can be DAUNTING. Parents considering homeschool may doubt their ability to teach math if they don't have a degree in math or teaching. But you can do it! And in this video I'll show you how. I share research-based teaching methods that you can use with any curriculum, some basics on...
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My Favorite History Books and How to Use Them
Charlotte Mason used a lot of "living" books to teach history. It makes sense since she considered it the "pivot" upon which her whole curriculum turned. So, which books did she recommend? And how did she use them? What purpose did they serve? In this video I discuss the different books that...
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Book of Centuries, Timelines, and Other History "Things"
Books and primary sources aren't the only tools we should use when teaching history. Timelines, century charts, and the Charlotte Mason's signature "Book of Centuries" are all tools to help our kids grasp the abstract concept of time. In this video I share the tools I use to help my kids keep…
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How to Teach History Using Charlotte Mason's Methods
When it comes to teaching history homeschool parents have a lot of decisions to make -- Should I study US or world history? At what age should a child begin learning about history? There is SO MUCH history, where do I begin? How do I teach it? How do I choose a curriculum or how can I make my…
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Nature Study Object Lessons
Nature study is a hallmark feature of a Charlotte Mason education, but how do you teach nature study? What plants and animals should you study? What questions should you ask? And what does a lesson look like? In this video I share what I've learned in my 6 years of experience (and counting!)...
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Getting Started with Nature Notebooks
You've heard about nature notebooking (AKA journaling) or seen some beautiful shots of children's nature journals. But you have reservations... Your kids are not artistic (and neither are you!). It seems so simple, is it really worth my time? How do I encourage and inspire my kids to record in...
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Make the Most of Family Nature Walks
Nature study can be a daunting subject, but it doesn't have to be! Simply start with a weekly nature walk around a park, or even around your neighborhood. Charlotte Mason put a lot of weight on the importance of nature study throughout a person's life, and it can be as easy as taking a weekly...
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How I Teach Nature Study
Nature study is one of the most important subjects in developing the mind and heart! For this reason it is my FAVORITE subject to teach. It is one of the reasons I was drawn to Charlotte Mason's method of education. In this episode I briefly discuss the principles behind nature study and how I...
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5 | The Foundation of STEM Skills | How to Teach Nature Study w/ Nicole Williams
In this episode Nicole Williams and I discuss why you should be studying nature (hint: it's the foundation of all STEM skills, but that's not the most important reason...), how to teach it to different ages, and what kind of book and resources you’ll need. Nicole is the most knowledgeable person…
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4 | On Teaching Grammar and Writing w/ Havalah Turner
In this episode I get to chat with my friend and fellow homeschool mamma, Havalah Turner. Grammar and writing can be terrifying subjects for homeschoolers. We either overdo it with stacks of worksheets, or we don’t teach it all. But there is a better way! Writing is simply putting thoughts down…
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3 | The Early Years: What Preschool Children *Actually* Need
“In this time of extraordinary pressure—educational and social—perhaps a mother’s first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time" -Charlotte Mason, Home Education "What should I do with my preschool-age kids to make sure they're ready for school?" "Which...
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2 | Handwriting Hacks: Strategies to Engage Reluctant Writers w/ Penny Gardner
How do I teach handwriting? My child has dyslexia -- will Charlotte Mason's method work for him/her? How can I encourage a reluctant writer? ____ In this episode I invite Penny Gardner to help me answer these questions and more! Charlotte Mason taught handwriting, grammar, spelling, and writing...
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1 | The Reading Revolution: Teach Your Child to Read Well and LOVE It w/ Julie Ross
In this episode I have a conversation with Julie Ross, founder of A Gentle Feast. We discuss the different ideas of teaching reading (AKA "The Reading Wars"), the pros and cons of each, and the research on reading. We also discuss why Charlotte Mason's method of teaching reading was so ingenious...
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A Matter of Principle | 20 Educational Principles to Consider
Every parent and teacher should have a philosophy of education, or a set of principles, that drives their behavior and choices. Do you know what yours are? In this episode I go over Charlotte Mason's 20 principles (or 19, in this case) that she spent decades considering and applying. I have found...
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26 | Teaching Myths and Time-Tested Methods
Charlotte Mason said that lessons should be based on living books and real things. But how do we use these materials once we have them? Create activities? Quizzes? Lectures? In this episode I discuss what we do with books and real things -- three methods that are time-tested and backed by…
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25 | What Are "Living Books" and Why Are They So Important? With Amber O'Neal Johnston of Heritage Mom
If you've been in the homeschooling realm for long you've probably heard the term "living books." This is a term coined by Charlotte Mason, and has become extremely widespread, for good reason. Living books put the flesh on the dry bones of fact. Mason boldly stated that " "no education seems to…
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23 | Education is a Life
Why don't my children enjoy school? How can I increase their curiosity and desire to learn? What kind of subjects should I teach and how should I present them? In this episode I discuss these questions and how they relate to the last instrument of education (and my personal favorite): LIFE. In...
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22 | Education is a Discipline
Which skills do my children need to succeed in life? My house is in complete chaos. How can I make my days smoother? My child’s behavior isn’t meeting my expectations. What can I do? Paula Tough, author of How Children Succeed, was curious what kind of influences or conditions made some children…
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21 | Mother Culture with Leah Boden of Modern Miss Mason
In this episode Leah Boden, of Modern Miss Mason, joins me to discuss the big idea of mother culture and self-care. Mothers choosing to educate their children at home have many responsibilities, and burn out is common. Apparently, this is true for every generation of women as Charlotte Mason gave...
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20 | The One Room Schoolhouse and Family Style Learning with Donna Goff
One-room schoolhouses are extinct, but it's not because they were ineffective. On the contrary, one-room schoolhouses were actually more effective than grade-based at teaching multiple-age children and helping individual children advance intellectually than grade-based schools today. So, why were...
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19 | Education is an Atmosphere (Relationships with the World)
"When we say that 'education is an atmosphere,' we do not mean that a child should be isolated in what may be called a 'child-environment' especially adapted and prepared, but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere, both as regards persons and…
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18 | Video Games and Play w/ Dr. Peter Gray (Part 2)
This is part two of my conversation with Dr Peter Gray. In this episode we discuss what play is, what it is not, as well as modern ways that children play, namely video games. As a psychologist, Dr Gray has done immense amounts of research on the cognitive effects of video games and addiction…
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17 | Real Life Learning with Dr. Peter Gray (Part 1)
Charlotte Mason said that “When we say that 'education is an atmosphere,' we do not mean that a child should be isolated in what may be called a 'child-environment' especially adapted and prepared, but that we should take into account the educational value of his natural home atmosphere, both as...
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16 | Education is an Atmosphere (Relationships with People)
Charlotte Mason famously stated that parents and teachers have three instruments available to educate children: atmosphere, discipline, and life. What did Charlotte mean by "atmosphere?" She explains: “When we say that "education is an atmosphere," we do not mean that a child should be isolated…
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15 | The Ideal Parenting Style
Children need love and discipline to reach their full potential. But what happens when parents exert too much control and not enough love? Or the opposite: too much love and not enough authority? What does a balance of love and control look like? Today we’ll discuss the ideal balance…
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14 | Punished By Rewards with Alfie Kohn
Charlotte Mason advised that we shouldn’t use external motivators to make children learn. She said “[grades], prizes, places, rewards, punishments, praise, blame, or other inducements are not necessary to secure attention, which is voluntary, immediate and surprisingly perfect” without them. ( A...
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13 | Rewards, Praise, and Punishments
We can't discuss the big idea of authority without addressing rewards and punishments. Do they actually contribute to our goal of developing moral, disciplined, and curious kids? What are the temporal and spiritual effects of extrinsic motivation? And if we shouldn't use extrinsic motivators…
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12 | Authority and Docility
In this episode I’ll discuss the big idea of authority: what it is, why it's important, and how parents can maintain loving authority in their homes. The principles of authority and docility are important enough that Charlotte Mason placed them as principles 3 and 4 in her 20 principles of...
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11 | Creating an Atmosphere of Love and Learning with Dr. Russell Osguthorpe
As I've studied attachment and love, I've wondered how they affect children's learning. So I asked Dr. Russell Osguthorpe, an expert in both attachment and learning, to come on the podcast to discuss the connection between the two. In this episode we discuss how attachment affects behavior and...
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10 | Love + Attachment (Part 2)
Many of the behavioral problems parents face, during all generations of time, all stem from one thing: attachment. A healthy attachment to a parent affects everything from learning to to self-regulation. But why is attachment so important? How do we nurture a healthy attachment with our children?...
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9 | Love + Attachment (Part 1)
Why is it so difficult to teach my own children? It feels like my child is emotionally distant. How can I repair our relationship? Why has my child become so defiant? Although these parenting issues may seem unrelated, they all have one thing in common: attachment. Unconditional love is the...
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8 | Dr. Jack Beckman on Freedom Within Boundaries
Although I've been studying Mason's philosophy of education for a few years now I still had some unanswered questions about her first principle. How does Mason's theory of child development compare to the well-known theories today? How do I respect my child's personhood and still set boundaries?...
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7 | Children Are Born Persons
It’s important to understand principles, to have a framework, before we move on to applying her methods. So for the rest of the season we'll be discussing the big ideas in Charlotte Mason's 20 Principles. First, Children are Born Persons. “We believe that the first article of our P.N.E.U....
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6 | Teaching Children of All Abilities w/ Julie Christensen
My child has a learning disability. Can I still apply Charlotte Mason’s methods? I'm feeling like my child needs more support outside of what the school system can give; where do I start? How do I have a peaceful homeschool when my child's challenges create so much tension? Because her philosophy...
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5 | The Connection Between Reading and Thinking w/ Natalie Wexler
We all want our children to receive a high-quality education – one that builds knowledge and teaches them how to think. But how do we go about this? Charlotte Mason said that education should be focused on feeding children a feast of living ideas (from books) then narrating what they learn, by...
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4 | Self-Education
What makes Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and methods different from others? How do we nurture a love of learning in our children? What should parents look for in a curriculum or school? Over 100 years ago, Charlotte Mason said “Teaching, talk, and tale, however lucid or fascinating, affect nothing...
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3 | Mothers Work Wonders w/ Cassie Shepherd
Families, especially mothers, are devalued in our society. We're told mothers are replaceable, that we need to modernize motherhood; but all the science says the opposite. In this episode, Cassie Shepherd and I discuss the importance of motherhood and why mothers are the best people to nurture a...
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2 | Home-Centered Learning
In this episode, we explore the history of institutions for children and what we've learned from them. I'll discuss why home-centered learning is essential for all families and I'll share some simple strategies you can begin implementing today, no matter where your children go to school. Show...
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1 | Welcome
Welcome! This episode is the taste of what's to come with Simple Wonders. We explore the research of why "home-centered parenting" is needed and where to start. Hopefully you'll feel empowered and learn something on the way.
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Trailer
Simple Wonders is a new podcast for parents who want to raise happy, curious, life-long learners. Join me, Jessica Smith, as we discuss big ideas about education and parenting and how you can apply simple strategies that will work wonders in your home.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Simple Wonders supports parents in their role as teachers by discussing big ideas about education and parenting. We’ll cover topics like how children learn, which teaching methods are most effective, and how to nurture a child’s heart and mind. Jessica Smith (CFLE-P) discusses the parallels between the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, Charlotte Mason’s educational philosophy, and scientific research. Most importantly, parents will learn how to apply these big ideas in simple ways to create a home-based education for their family.
HOSTED BY
Jessica
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Simple Wonders have?
Simple Wonders currently has 42 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Simple Wonders about?
Simple Wonders supports parents in their role as teachers by discussing big ideas about education and parenting. We’ll cover topics like how children learn, which teaching methods are most effective, and how to nurture a child’s heart and mind. Jessica Smith (CFLE-P) discusses the parallels between...
How often does Simple Wonders release new episodes?
Simple Wonders has 42 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Simple Wonders?
You can listen to Simple Wonders on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Simple Wonders?
Simple Wonders is created and hosted by Jessica.
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