S9 E20 | Making the Most of the Middle Months: Ideas for Fun & Footloose Summer Learning (Shiela Catanzarite)

The middle months are those wonderful summer months when most of us have ended our formal academic year and are taking a break to travel, see family and enjoy a lighter, more laid-back schedule. Though most of us are vacationing, we don’t want to take a complete break from learning. In fact, some of the most impactful, enjoyable learning happens in these months—and sometimes while on vacation! Making the most of the middle months is simply looking at June, July and August and seeing what learning opportunities are embedded there. It’s about learning differently and often in ways that are more carefree and fun for your family. There are many different educational topics and opportunities unique to the summer months that won’t be available when formal homeschooling starts back in the fall. With a little review and a little planning, you can ensure your family experiences the best the middle months have to offer. About Shiela Shiela Catanzarite is an author, speaker, editor, and communication coach. She's a 20-year Charlotte Mason veteran homeschooler and has worked as Jeannie Fulbright’s editor and designer for 20 years helping develop Jeannie’s award-winning Apologia science curriculum and most recently her Charlotte Mason products published through Jeannie Fulbright Press. Shiela is the author of the newly published Living Verse Language Arts in Poetry and is finishing up her second book in the series Living Verse Language Arts in Scripture, to be released spring 2024. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and a master’s degree in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary, Shiela has been teaching language arts in some capacity for 40+ years. Her passion remains helping students understand the elements of language and how to use these elements artfully to communicate effectively. Shiela is currently a language communication coach, working one-on-one with students who have language learning and communication challenges. She also writes curriculum for her private middle and high school English language communication classes that focus on writing and speaking. Both of Shiela's and her husband Bruce’s daughters attended private universities on scholarship and went on to pursue graduate studies in medicine and global business. She attributes their love for learning and academic achievement to homeschooling with Charlotte Mason’s philosophy and methodology. Resources S9 E3 | Vision: Beginning with the Ends in Mind S9 E10 | Homeschooling Out and About Connect Shiela Catanzarite | Website | Instagram | Instagram | Email Homeschooling.mom | Instagram | Website  Subscribe to our YouTube channel | YouTube Thank you to our sponsors! Medi-Share: an affordable Christian alternative to traditional health insurance Tuttle Twins: children’s books to help you teach your kids how the world really works Have you joined us at one of the Great Homeschool Conventions?  We hope to see you there! For more encouragement on your homeschooling journey, visit the Homeschooling.mom site, and tune in to our sister podcast The Homeschool Solutions Show. View full show notes on the blog.