S5E113: Building Literacy At Home

S5E113: Building Literacy At Home

Author: Robyn Robertson November 30, 2021 Duration: 1:37:45

Building Literacy At Home

This is episode 113 and I am excited to share this Clubhouse discussion on building literacy at home. In this special episode I invited three moms that share my passion for learning in the natural world. All three of my co-hosts are former school educators and two of the three are now homeschooling parents.

Lesley Jones Sessler is a progressive educator, blogger at WatchMonkeyMama and school principal turned unschooler.

Elsa E. Jones is a professional development consultant with a specialization in birth to 5 years. She is also an early childhood equity and social justice activist, Chair and Professor of Early Childhood Education.

Demetria Giles is a school designer, education consultant and homeschooling mom to her son.

Ways We Can Build and Support Literacy At Home

Are you homeschooling or unschooling and concerned about your children learning to read? Tired of boring writing curriculum that no one in your family wants to really do? Are you looking for other ideas on how to support reading, writing and literacy in your home?

This episode will leave you empowered to support joyful learning in your home with tools and ideas from infancy to the later years.

We explore:

  • Learning to read and write- what is literacy?
  • How to offer nonstop exposure
  • Listening, Conversation, Retelling and Artistic Expression- a story doesn't always mean what's in a book
  • Literacy through play and building from infancy
  • Reading isn't just the words on a page- other ways in life that we "read" and communicate
  • Access and Exposure
  • Different kinds and levels of stories
  • Higher Order Thinking Skills
  • Reasons to write
  • Digital Literacy and changes for the future

Dive a Little Deeper and Other Resources

I offer a free, welcome community for Parents and Educators on the Clubhouse App. Join my Club, Honey! I'm Homeschooling on Clubhouse and be part of our weekly discussions that are held 4 times a week. Download the app or go to my Club link~ Honey! I'm Homeschooling.

If you would like to learn more, I recommend you listen to my previous interview with Demetria Giles; From School To Homeschool. You can connect with Demetria via Instagram drosewritings

You can connect with Lesley through her blog https://watchmonkeymama.com/category/homeschooling/ or on Instagram.

Elsa, Lesley and Demetria can all be found on the Clubhouse app.

Would you like to support the podcast? Become a patron~ https://www.patreon.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids

Enjoy this episode? Share it on social media. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeyimhomeschoolingthekids/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Robyn Robertson hosts Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids, a conversation that goes far beyond curriculum choices and into the heart of what it means to learn and grow together as a family. This isn't about presenting a perfect blueprint; instead, each episode feels like an honest chat with a friend who gets it, exploring the nuanced realities of choosing an educational path outside the conventional system. You'll hear from a diverse range of voices-experienced homeschoolers, unschooling advocates, educational researchers, and parents just figuring it out-all sharing their stories, challenges, and triumphs. The discussions naturally weave through parenting philosophies, cultural perspectives on childhood, and practical advice for nurturing a rich, engaging home life. Tuning into this podcast means finding a supportive community and thoughtful reflections on creating a family culture that prioritizes connection, curiosity, and joy. It’s for anyone curious about alternative education or simply seeking inspiration for a more intentional and fulfilling life with their kids.
Author: Language: en-ca Episodes: 100

Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids
Podcast Episodes
S6E136: Math- How We Learn with Kohila Sivas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:48
Math- How We Learn Kohila Sivas is the creator of the revolutionary MathCodes Method™ a unique system designed to recover learning loss in math. Kohila blended the math hacks she discovered to demystify math and merged t…
S6E135: Literacy- Games and Storytelling with Michael Low [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:37
Literacy- Games and Storytelling Michael Low is a writing teacher and curriculum developer with over two decades of experience. He's also a tabletop game designer who designs and runs story-telling games for kids from 7-…
S6E134: It's Called Unschooling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:07
It's Called Unschooling I don’t like labels. I feel that as learners outside of the institution of school we don’t have to rush putting ourselves into a new box or label. Or that our learning life (unschooling life) is h…
S6E133: Literacy and Digital Tech with Josh Davidson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:20
Literacy and Digital Tech Josh Davidson was one of the first students in the United Kingdom to complete an MA in Digital Art. In every professional role he has had, he has tried to retain his creativity and enthusiasm fo…
S6E131: 7 Steps To Begin Homeschooling (Or Unschooling) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:41
7 Steps To Begin Homeschooling Thinking about homeschooling? Or are you ready for a homeschool refresh? Here are 7 steps to help you begin homeschooling. 1. Get clear on your WHY. What are your deeper reasons for homesch…
S6E130: Defining Success As A Homeschooler & Unschooler [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:24
Defining Success As A Homeschooler & Unschooler Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids is a platform to share the stories of families living their own unique learning life. This learning life more often than not does not rese…
S6E129: Making Learning Meaningful- Monica Cochran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:11
Making Learning Meaningful Did you know that the best learning environment is the one where we feel safe? The relationship has to be more important in education than the content. Monica Cochran and I explore this idea an…
S6E128: Declutter Your Homeschool [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:57
Declutter Your Homeschool "We all have a clutter story. Physical Clutter Emotional Clutter Relationship Clutter Time Clutter Digital Clutter We all have some form of clutter in our lives. Because as life happens, we take…