Archive for the ‘Podcasts’ Category

[Podcast #233] Endgame Tips to Finish the Year Strong

Brave Writer Podcast

Springtime often pulls homeschoolers in what can feel like two different directions.

  1. The first is the concern of what needs to be done before the end of the school year.
  2. The second is wanting to play outside.

Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we cover how to unite the two!

We give ideas of how to incorporate formal education with being outside: Measuring the circumference of a tree, practicing spelling while tossing a lacrosse ball, figuring out change at the ice cream store, and more.

But we also cover how spring is a rich time to develop wonder and observational skills in your kids, beyond just formal standards. Field trips, “look for a color” strolls, and even baseball games can help your child appreciate the world around them and develop lifelong passions.

Show Notes

Learning Outside

Sometimes the problem with learning math or spelling is the environment. Especially in springtime, sitting at a table hunched over papers is not ideal for humans of any age. So head outside and do geometry on trees. Use a ball to pepper each other with spelling challenges. Go to the ice cream store and figure out the change owed at the cash register. And don’t forget the magic tool of homeschooling: the trampoline.

Developing Wonder and Passion

Even if you practice year-round homeschooling, spring can offer a natural transition. There are flowers blooming, birds singing, and so, so much to be observed and wondered about. Teaching your child to simply observe and wonder, without the need for immediate answers is critical to their development. Plus, it’s a great time to sneak in field trips while traditional schools are cramming for end-of-year testing!

Homeschooling is about connecting to ourselves so that we can build meaning for ourselves and actually have lives we enjoy living. We’re not just trying to train our children for a future job. We’re trying to build curiosity, depth, and interest in the whole range of wonder that we live around every day. Springtime is a wonderful season to do exactly that.

Resources

  • Check out the Brave Writer Bookshop 
  • Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
  • Good news: There are enough weeks left to do a writing project with your kids that will leave you feeling confident and accomplished this school year. Sign up for a Brave Writer online writing class. Our classes start every Monday, and each one only lasts three to six weeks. Sign up today!
  • Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
  • Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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[Podcast #232] A Deep Dive into AI with Dr. Kelly Cohen

Brave Writer Podcast

When a lot of people hear “Artificial Intelligence,” they think RoboCop or the Terminator, but Dr. Kelly Cohen, Director of the AI biolab at University of Cincinnati, thinks about life-saving medical processes.

Dr. Kelly Cohen’s startup, Genexia, uses AI to identify coronary artery disease using mammograms. Today he joins us on the Brave Writer podcast to talk about his AI optimism and vision for the future.

Join us as we talk about AI

  • risks,
  • ethics,
  • and regulations. 

Show Notes

AI Risks

Using the European Union AI Act as a model, Dr. Cohen walks us through the levels of AI risk:

  • High,
  • medium,
  • and low.

High risk involves possible loss of life: Self-driving cars to medical decision-making. Low risk is something like ChatGPT writing you a sonnet to give to your wife that ends up insulting her.

AI Ethics

Since Generative AI stormed onto the scene last year, ethics around ownership and authorship have taken center stage. Generative AI (think: OpenAI and its ChatGPT) is based on taking writers’ and visual artists’ work without their express permission, and using it to generate written and visual content for others. We discuss questions of attribution and originality.

AI Regulations

Dr. Cohen suggests we regulate AI just like we do air travel or pharmaceuticals. We establish a government body that specializes in an area, like the FAA or FDA, and they work with companies to regulate risk, truth-in-advertising, etc.

Of course, since this is Brave Writer, we also get into

  • student essays,
  • personalized education,
  • and how to teach the wider world about AI.

There’s lots packed into this episode—enjoy!

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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[Podcast #231] Artistic Homeschooling with Hana of Pepper and Pine

Brave Writer Podcast

Hana’s Instagram account, Pepper and Pine, is one of the most beautiful accounts on the internet: colorful, full of books and art. Her homeschooling approach is much the same. Using the Waldorf philosophy, she blends creativity and curiosity into her lessons, keeping them targeted to specific developmental stages.

Hana of Pepper and Pine
Hana of Pepper and Pine

Today on the Brave Writer podcast, we have a rich conversation with Hana about the dynamic of learning and growing as a parent while teaching your child at the same time. We talk about:

  • the anxiety about gaps in your kids’ education,
  • how to find time to plan lessons,
  • and the joy of seeing them grow into adulthood.

We also discuss the role art and handwork plays in our own lives as adults, both in terms of meditative relief and spiritual growth. The whole episode has the aesthetic of Pepper and Pine: deep, meaningful, beautiful.

Show Notes

Waldorf Philosophy and Art

Hana comes from an artistic family where the older siblings attended a Waldorf school. Although she only spent about a year at a Waldorf school herself, when it came time to homeschool her own kids, she knew she wanted to pursue that teaching philosophy. Specifically, she focused on shaping her teaching to her kids’ developmental stages, blending in their culture and religion. 

Education Gap Anxiety

Almost all homeschool parents worry that they have missed something in their kids’ education. Whether it’s modern history or pre-calculus, there’s always a fear that we have somehow failed them. As the parent of grown homeschooled children, Hana assures other homeschool parents: As long as you have protected their sense of curiosity and confidence, they can always keep learning as adults.

These days, Hana has a little more time for her own art and handwork. And lucky for us, she shares it on Instagram. So be sure to check it out as you tune in for this week’s episode.

Resources

  • Learn more at PepperandPine.com
  • Follow Hana on Instagram @PepperandPine
  • Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
  • Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
  • Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention!
  • Good news: There are enough weeks left to do a writing project with your kids that will leave you feeling confident and accomplished this school year. Sign up for a Brave Writer online writing class. Our classes start every Monday, and each one only lasts three to six weeks. Sign up today!

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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[Podcast #230] An Invitation to Poetry Teatime

Brave Writer Podcast

Today’s podcast episode is a Poetry Teatime: You drink tea, people pick poems to read aloud, you listen and enjoy them while you’re eating a delicious snack. 

Of course, since this is Brave Writer, we take time between the poems to talk about our love for poetry and how we use it to teach children about language:

  • similes,
  • imagery,
  • space,
  • expression,
  • connection,
  • and more.

So join us in Julie’s family tradition, which started way back when her kids brought their stuffed animals to the table and believed store-bought cookies were a special treat. Enjoy!

Show Notes

Poetry as Experiential Learning

Poetry Teatime started as a family tradition when Julie’s kids were young. She got the idea from another homeschool mom who tried to make learning geography more exciting for her kids by teaching it in a teatime setting.

Julie immediately applied it to poetry and the tradition still stands strong today. By simply allowing kids to enjoy and savor poetry, they’re able to deeply grasp the power of language–both when rules are followed and when they are broken.

Poetry as Inspiration

As a writer, Melissa reads poetry every morning. It often provides her with a jumping-off point: A word, phrase, or image will catch her attention and then she’ll play with it in her own work. Even for the most experienced writers, poetry gives fresh perspectives to language and meaning.

Joy and play are cornerstones to learning–for all ages. We really hope you enjoy this special episode.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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[Podcast #229] Brave Writer Student to Professional Author: Millie Florence

Brave Writer Podcast

At age 20, Brave Writer alum Millie Florence has already published three books! She joins the podcast today to talk about:

  • her writing process,
  • her publishing experience,
  • and what she learned in her Brave Writer classes.
Millie Florence
Millie Florence

Plus, we geek out about Minecraft Story Mode and our favorite middle grade novels!

Show Notes

Millie’s Writing Process

Millie considers herself to be more of a “plotter” than a “pantser” these days. That means she likes to sit down and plot out her story before diving into writing (versus writing by the seat of her pants). She actually enjoys the revision process–which makes sense when you realize that just means she gets to spend more time with the incredible characters she has created.

Millie’s Publishing Experience

When Millie wrote her first book at age 13, she had two goals regarding the publishing process:

  1. She wanted it to go quickly because she wanted to still be a child when the book got published,
  2. And she wanted to learn everything she could about the publishing process.

So Millie decided to self-publish with her parents and family friends acting as the beta readers. But Millie has gone the publisher route as well, and is now starting her publisher’s marketing tour for her book “Beyond Mulberry Glen.”

Millie is an absolute delight. It’s fun to hear about her Brave Writer memories, adventures in Minecraft Story Mode, and her take on the world of books.

We’re very proud to count her among our alumni.

Resources

Connect with Julie

Connect with Melissa

Produced by NOVA Media

Brave Writer Podcast

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