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Tips for how to mark the start of your school year in a memorable way that sets your children (and you) up for success!

Kayte and Debra discuss the science behind the notion of summer slide. Then give tips for helping your kids recover what they may have (temporarily) lost over the summer break.

Kathryn and Debra discuss chunking, a strategy that will help students increase their working memory. Debra gives a quick test to help you assess your child's working memory and then discusses ways to extend their ability to work with a lot of new information at once.

In this episode, Kathryn and Debra discuss how students can use their understanding of the mind's two modes for thinking to better apply their attention to their studies. A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Numbers-Science-Flunked-Algebra/dp/039916524X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1689277055&sr=8-1 Learning How to Learn by Barbara Oakley: https://www.amazon.com/Learning-How-Learn-Spending-Studying/dp/0143132547/ref=sr_1_1?crid=150YTL6G6WZOJ&keywords=learning+how+to+learn+barbara+oakley&qid=1689277102&sprefix=Learning+how+to+lear%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1 Pomodoro Hourglass timers: https://www.amazon.com/OrgaNice-Hourglass-Sand-Timer-Productivity/dp/B01KFYMFYE/ref=sr_1_35?crid=3B7WD30HLSX8H&keywords=hourglass+timers&qid=1689277139&sprefix=hourglass+timers%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-35

Spaced repetition is an effective strategy to promote durable learning.  When kids struggle to recall what they learned about previously, they strengthen the neural pathways that deepen their understanding and connections to prior learning.  Celebrate the struggle! Tell your kids their brains are working properly. Our skinnies are designed to give you quick bursts of teaching tips based on the science of learning that will revolutionize your homeschool program. 

Kathryn sits down with fellow Apologia author Sherri Seligson to talk about teaching math and science together. Sherri explains how math functions as the language of science while Kathryn chimes in with ways you can use science as a context for teaching mathematics. The result is a two-for-one punch, more learning with less effort. Sherri's website: https://www.sherriseligson.com/ Sherri's Instagram: @sherriseligson

Kathryn discusses the neurodivergent child with Amy Bodkin, a homeschool mom, autistic adult, and licensed school psychologist.  We discuss learning differences and recent dramatic changes in the research and our understanding of these very common differences in children.  Amy offers lots of expert advice while also giving practical tips for designing a homeschool program that positions all children--even those who are neurodivergent--for success. Amy's website: https://amybodkin.com/ Amy's Instagram: @amybodkineds

In part 2, Kathryn and Debra dive into the four types of learners researchers have found in an educational setting. This model is an easy one for homeschool parents to use because the clues are the observable preferences you can readily see in each child.  You'll also learn how to recognize your teaching style and get lots of tips for choosing curriculum and activities that correlate with each learning style. The good news is you can use the same materials with most learners--you just have to modify your approach and expectations depending on each child's preferences.  

What does the research say about learning styles? How can homeschool parents leverage this information to algin with how each child learns best (and still keep your program manageable)? We open with a discussion about the Big 5 Personality Traits, which are the foundation for how kids will process information and be motivated to learn. Here are the visible clues that tell you how each child prefers to learn with plenty of tips for making the curriculum you're currently using work best for each kid.

We look at 5 dimensions of personality that influence how our teens interact with others and how they respond to new experiences. We also touch on other areas of individual differences parents should be attuned to so they can calibrate their program to how their teen learns best.

Your teen's brain changes and develops during early adolescence as dramatically as it did from birth-3 yrs of age. Learn how to work with (not against) those changes. Be the source of stability and wisdom your teen needs.  Kayte and Debra talk about the risks and advantages during adolescence, a finite window of opportunity parents will not want to miss. 

Grief and loss can be overwhelming for a child and their grieving process is often different from adult grieving. Parents may not recognize the significance of a loss in a child's life that we may take in stride--the loss of a pet, changing churches, or moving, for example. Bonnie Gonzalez, licensed counselor and Aim Academy Online psychology teacher, joins Debra and Kathryn to talk about how to recognize the signs of grief, how to keep homeschooling when you are grieving, and how to be attuned to your child's first experiences with loss and grief.