Dear friends,

The planned topic of this newsletter was to have been the dangers of the sexualization of children. I announced this in the last newsletter, asking for comments, questions and anything folks might like to share about this topic. Several people said they would send something in---but have not! So...I am putting this topic off to next month’s newsletter and asking once again if people would send in contributions. In my opinion, it makes things so much richer if parents can read the questions living with fellow parents or hear of their experiences.

For this newsletter….how about a tour of some gems on the Christopherus website which folks might not be aware of?

It can be very helpful for parents to see what kind of work other children do. While all of our curriculum materials contain illustrations and often instructions on how to tackle various art projects, it can be very enlightening for parents to see the work of other children. Here is the link therefore to our Gallery of Homeschoolers Work.

And here is the kind of step by step instruction I provide in each year’s curriculum:

By the way, as children get older, it can be very difficult for the homeschooling parent to judge the writing her child does. We have a teaching video in which I talk through what one might expect from eighth and ninth grade students. And the Language Arts Teaching Guide for seventh and eighth grade has actual examples of written work from students of mine over the years. I talk through how parents can judge and evaluate writing using such real life examples.

Our very popular form drawing video gives real life instruction and shows me teaching someone (my daughter-in-law actually!!!) with no experience with form drawing how to approach this subject. It was lots of fun to make this video and feedback is that it is extremely useful.

Our Self Study Course is full of step-by-step instructions for recorder, painting, drawing, modeling and many other artistic subjects. I also help parents in their own self-development process, as well as discussing a couple of lectures by Steiner and helping parents understand the four temperaments and how such understanding can assist in parenting and teaching. And there is a whole lot more in that Course!

A few blog posts that might be helpful in the turbulent and confusing times we live in. Each one contains a talk by me:

• My Story is Your Story, Your Story is My Story
• The Spiritual Reality of Truth
• Homeschooling in Extraordinary Circumstances

And an oldie but goodie….

• Choosing Toys

Here is a section of our website devoted to the teaching of music which could be helpful to those pondering this issue 

And here is a link to some of our free talks---those of you considering whether Christopherus is right for you, might like to listen to a few as you make up your minds.

Til August!

Blessings on your homeschool journey,

Donna