EP242: Discover four simple ways to bring more balance, calm, and connection to your homeschool during the holiday season. Learn how to simplify traditions, preview plans, maintain gentle rhythms, and support your child through the seasonal swirl. Plus, hear how Handwork + Stories can help your family enjoy meaningful, low-stress learning all December long. Join the Inspired at Home community https://artofhomeschooling.com/inspiredathome Find the Show Notes here&nb...

EP241: Learning often looks messy before it looks magical. In this episode, Jean explores what productive struggle really is ~ why that uncomfortable moment when a new idea doesn’t fit is exactly where growth happens ~ and how to invite it into homeschooling without tipping kids into frustration. Drawing on Piaget’s ideas about equilibrium and disequilibrium, and the neuroscience of learning, we unpack how challenge literally upgrades the brain’s wiring and builds durable confidence. I...

EP240: You might feel like homeschooling would be easier if you could just find the right curriculum. But here's the truth: your homeschool will thrive if you focus on rhythm over curriculum. It’s not about the curriculum. It’s about the rhythm and bringing more ease and simplicity into your homeschooling days. In this episode, you’ll learn about the 2-day lesson rhythm inspired by Waldorf education, why it works with how our brains actually learn, and how rhythm can help you feel more ...

EP239: In this episode, Jean shares a simple way to craft age-appropriate homeschool lessons by pairing story-rich content with a focused skill goal, all within a spiral model of learning that lowers pressure and builds depth. Practical steps, planning tools, and holiday tweaks help you simplify and stay connected. Here's what we're talking about: • DAP as a lens for child-centered teaching • Content versus skills and why it matters • Story-first lessons that anchor meaning • Spiral learning...

EP238: This episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast was created to encourage you as a homeschooling parent to teach your child, not a grade. For some homeschoolers, starting a new grade each fall is part of their yearly rhythm. For others, sometimes it's hard to even assign a grade to their child. Either way, your child's learning doesn't just happen magically in tidy grade-level packages. Rather, it happens along a path that sometimes spirals backwards or follows detours or even sk...

EP237: Ever penciled “mental math" for next Tuesday and that morning, realized you had no idea what problems to use? This conversation digs into the quiet reason homeschool plans stall: we schedule the when and skip deciding the what. In this episode, Jean shares how a few concrete choices ~ specific words, page numbers, prompts, and simple activities ~ turn a hopeful calendar into lessons that actually happen. You’ll hear why observation and preparation matter, how to be decisive without ov...

EP236: Ease into your homeschool year with affirmations to calm your mind and ground your rhythm. 🌿 In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling Podcast, Jean shares uplifting affirmations for homeschooling parents that bring more confidence, peace, and connection to your days. Perfect for Waldorf inspired homeschoolers ~ or anyone wanting to start the back-to-homeschool season with more presence, simplicity, and joy. ✨ Join the Inspired at Home community https://artofhomeschooling....

EP235: As a new homeschool year begins, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the lessons, subjects, and plans we think we need to start right away. But what if “enough” looks much simpler than we imagine? In this episode, Jean shares why starting with self-care ~ and then layering in activities gradually ~ creates a calmer, steadier rhythm for both you and your children. Discover how to celebrate small wins, embrace simplicity, and begin your year with confidence and peace.🌿 Join the Inspired...

EP234: Art anchors learning at home and can serve as a powerful tool for teaching across all subject areas. In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling Podcast, Jean is joined by guest Robyn Beaufoy, CEO of Waldorfish. The award-winning Weekly Art Foundations program created by Waldorfish offers a guided path for parents to bring art to their children at home. Robyn and Jean explore how art makes learning more memorable while also building key skills like focus, perseverance, and problem-solv...

EP233: "You are enough, just as you are." These simple words carry profound power for homeschooling parents constantly wondering if they're measuring up. In this heartfelt episode, Jean invites you to pause the endless striving and settle into a moment of genuine self-acceptance. If this message resonates with you, I invite you to join our Inspired at Home community, where we explore these themes through masterclasses, coaching calls, and supportive conversation. Join the Inspired at H...

EP232: What does Waldorf homeschooling look like in 2025? How has the homeschooling landscape and the Waldorf homeschooling movement changed? And what remains steady at the heart of Waldorf homeschooling? Join Jean on the Art of Homeschooling podcast this week to explore the changing landscape of Waldorf homeschooling as families seek a more connected, creative, and holistic approach to educating their children at home. Find the Show Notes here https://artofhomeschooling.com/episod...

EP231: Jessica Bentson's journey into toymaking began with a heartfelt desire to provide her children with natural playthings she couldn't afford to buy. That spark of inspiration has grown into Toymaking Magic, her membership that helps parents create beautiful handmade toys regardless of their crafting experience. In this conversation, Jean and Jessica talk about the value of handmade toys and open-ended play. Jessica shares why simple projects like beanbags make the perfect starting ...

EP230: Banish homeschool burnout with these nine simple tips aligned with Waldorf-inspired homeschooling so you can reignite your enthusiasm and bring joy back into your days with your kiddos. The tips in this episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast get to the heart of the matter ~ connection. We all experience burnout and fatigue at some point on our homeschooling journey. And it’s so important to be able to identify when you’re burning out, so you can reset and rest. And then get back t...

EP229: Ever felt like you're drowning in curriculum overwhelm? The secret to Waldorf-without-the-box is creating a custom curriculum for your homeschooling journey. You are not alone! Many homeschooling parents purchase one curriculum after another, desperately trying to follow someone else's plan only to feel perpetually behind and increasingly frustrated. Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education, never wrote a standardized curriculum. Instead, he encouraged teachers to observe...

EP228: Let's talk about why and how to celebrate your homeschool journey! Ever find yourself staring at unfinished lessons, math workbooks, or art projects at the end of the year? If you're feeling that familiar weight of disappointment about what didn't get accomplished this year, you're not alone. In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling, I discuss why shifting our focus toward what did happen strengthens the learning, builds connections, and creates positive momentum in our homesc...

EP227: Sometimes we homeschoolers can tend make things more complicated than they need to be. The truth is that simplicity is power! When you finally land in a place of simplicity, you can stop spinning your wheels and take action. Get yourself out of the weeds and back on the path with the power of simplicity. In this episode the Art of Homeschooling podcast, I share four easy to understand ideas to harness the power of simplicity. Find the Show Notes here ...

EP226: "Falling behind" might be the most common worry among homeschooling parents, but it's based on a misunderstanding of how learning works. When we measure ourselves against arbitrary timelines and standardized expectations, we miss the beautiful truth that homeschooling allows us to follow our children's natural development. The Waldorf approach offers remarkable wisdom here through its spiral curriculum ~ a thoughtful progression where subjects unfold with increasing complexity as chil...

EP225: Freedom thrives within structure and simplicity, not rigidity. This is a powerful truth that I've learned on my journey to embrace the freedom of homeschooling. In this episode of the Art of Homeschooling podcast, you'll hear my thoughts about the precious opportunity that homeschoolers have to truly see and respond to the children before us, customizing learning experiences without the constraints of external requirements that stifle creativity and individualized approaches. Aft...

EP224: Welcome to the Art of Homeschooling podcast! Today I’m addressing a common homeschooling question about simplifying your curriculum to work for YOUR family. If you’re feeling lost, behind, or overwhelmed…you are not alone. In this episode, I share three super helpful shifts that can transform how you approach planning and implementing lessons for Waldorf-inspired homeschooling. Create a more joyful and sustainable homeschooling experience by approaching your curriculum like a beautiful...

EP223: Poetry captivates us through sparse words that paint vivid pictures, leaving just enough space for our imaginations to complete the scene. This power makes poetry especially magical for children, who naturally think in pictures and respond to rhythm and rhyme with delight. When we share poems with our children, we're not just introducing them to beautiful language ~ we're building essential literacy foundations. Bringing poetry into your homeschool can be remarkably simple. Listen in f...