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 and all about making learning meaningful.

Monica is passionate about nurturing the love of learning and has vast experience helping learners of all ages enjoy learning. She has been active in alternative education since 1978, home-educated two of her children, and worked with other home-educating families both on the ground and virtually for the past 25 years. Her private practice serves families with kids who learn non-traditionally for various reasons using strength-based approaches and partners with others to facilitate workshops and courses on strength-based learning and resilience. 

Monica earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh in a multi-disciplinary program in child development, social work, and early childhood education and a Master’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in special education. She also earned a Primary Montessori Certification from the American Montessori Society and is an Advanced DIR practitioner and a provider of SSP (Safe and Sound Protocol) and the iLs Focus System of Integrated Listening Systems. She holds a K-12 Michigan teaching certificate in learning disabilities and emotional impairment. Since 1997, following her youngest son’s auto accident, she has also been active in working with survivors of traumatic brain injuries and learners with other health issues, as they redesign their lives.

In This Episode

Are you just beginning your homeschooling journey or are you looking for a refresh in your learning journey? This episode is for you. Monica and I explore what learning means, the numerous ways we learn and the learning environments we build. We dive into:
Making Learning Meaningful and Fun
Spelling & Grammar (Did you know there are over 40 ways we can support learning to spell that are not direct instruction?)
Supporting talents and what it means to hold space for our kids
Observing children's learning- not looking to fix things but observing what they already know
Curriculum- "Curriculum is everything a child is learning. In its broadest sense. We have to enlarge our notions of what learning looks like and our baggage around it."
Polyvagal Theory - The Science of Feeling Safe
When we bring our personal expectations into our learning environments
How and when learning flourishes
How do we help our children feel safe? Tools we can use as a parent.
Dealing With Meltdowns
Tips For When We Are Beginning Our Homeschool Journey

Resources

Monica shared a ton of fantastic resources and references on this episode!

Monica's Website- Learning Without Borders

Monica's Educational Therapy

Monica On Instagram

Clubhouse

Facebook

Personal Growth Meets Alternative Education Facebook Page

AERO

Alliance For Self Directed Education

Mr. Rogers

Pat Farenga On Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids~On Homeschooling And Education

Dr. Porges- Polyvagel Theory

Dr. Dan Siegel

Brain, Body, Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids~ Mona Delahooke

Our Emotional Deposits/Bank Account reference-Stephen Covey- 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People

Dr. Greenspan- Developmental,Individual Differences, Relationship-Based

3rd Grade Daze

The New Map Of Life- Stanford Report

Self Determination Theory- Deci and Ryan

Thank you to our wonderful Sponsor!

Mel Science is our episode sponsor. They are a learning resource that my daughter has been using this past year and she LOVES it!

MEL Science is a subscription service that offers monthly science boxes, which combines hands-on experiments with VR and AR technologies to engage kids in studying science. Science is about exploration, experiments, discovery, and asking questions – all of which comes naturally to all children.They strive to make serious science accessible, interesting, and cool.

Mel Science is offering Honey! I’m Homeschooling The Kids listeners a 50% discount for the 1st month for any of their subscriptions (Chemistry, STEM, Physics, Coding, Med). To access this discount, use the promo code HONEY at purchase.

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&nbsp;Cochran and I explore this idea and all about making learning meaningful.
Monica is passionate about nurturing the love of learning and has vast experience helping learners of all ages enjoy learning. She has been active in alternative education since 1978, home-educated two of her children, and worked with other home-educating families both on the ground and virtually for the past 25 years. Her private practice serves families with kids who learn non-traditionally for various reasons using strength-based approaches and partners with others to facilitate workshops and courses on strength-based learning and resilience.&nbsp;
Monica&nbsp;earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh in a multi-disciplinary program in child development, social work, and early childhood education and a Master&rsquo;s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in special education. She also earned a Primary Montessori Certification from the American Montessori Society and is an Advanced DIR practitioner and a provider of SSP (Safe and Sound Protocol) and the iLs Focus System of Integrated Listening Systems. She holds a K-12 Michigan teaching certificate in learning disabilities and emotional impairment. Since 1997, following her youngest son&rsquo;s auto accident, she has also been active in working with survivors of traumatic brain injuries and learners with other health issues, as they redesign their lives.
In This Episode
Are you just beginning your homeschooling journey or are you looking for a refresh in your learning journey? This episode is for you. Monica and I explore what learning means, the numerous ways we learn and the learning environments we build. We dive into:
<ul>
<li>Making Learning Meaningful and Fun</li>
<li>Spelling &amp; Grammar (Did you know there are over 40 ways we can support learning to spell that are not direct instruction?)</li>
<li>Supporting talents and what it means to hold space for our kids</li>
<li>Observing children's learning- not looking to fix things but observing what they already know</li>
<li>Curriculum- "Curriculum is everything a child is learning. In its broadest sense. We have to enlarge our notions of what learning looks like and our baggage around it."</li>
<li>Polyvagal Theory - The Science of Feeling Safe</li>
<li>When we bring our personal expectations into our learning environments</li>
<li>How and when learning flourishes</li>
<li>How do we help our children feel safe? Tools we can use as a parent.</li>
<li>Dealing With Meltdowns</li>
<li>Tips For When We Are Beginning Our Homeschool Journey</li>
</ul>
Resources
Monica shared a ton of fantastic resources and references on this episode!
Monica's Website- <a href="https://learningwithoutborders.com/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Learning Without Borders</a>
<a href="https://learningwithoutborders.com/educational-therapy/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Monica's Educational Therapy</a>
Monica On <a href="https://www.instagram.com/learning_without_borders/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.clubhouse.com/@monicacochran?utm_medium=ch_profile&amp;utm_campaign=OpqYHfBFSfvDPFL___InRg-228538" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Clubhouse</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063525252715" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/725465098076545" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Personal Growth Meets Alternative Education</a> Facebook Page
<a href="https://www.aeroconference.org/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">AERO</a>
<a href="https://www.self-directed.org/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Alliance For Self Directed Education</a>
<a href="https://www.misterrogers.org/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Mr. Rogers</a>
Pat Farenga On Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids~<a href="https://imhomeschooling.com/pat-farenga-on-homeschooling-and-education/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">On Homeschooling And Education</a>
<a href="https://www.stephenporges.com/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Dr. Porges- Polyvagel Theory</a>
<a href="https://drdansiegel.com/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Dr. Dan Siegel</a>
<a href="http://How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Brain, Body, Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids</a>~ Mona Delahooke
Our Emotional Deposits/Bank Account reference-Stephen Covey- <a href="https://amzn.to/3961CWx" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">7 Habits Of Highly Effective People</a>
Dr. Greenspan- <a href="https://www.stanleygreenspan.com/swf/The%20DIR%20Floortime%20Model.pdf" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Developmental,Individual Differences, Relationship-Based</a>
<a href="https://learningwithoutborders.com/3rd-grade-daze/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">3rd Grade Daze</a>
<a href="https://longevity.stanford.edu/the-new-map-of-life-report/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">The New Map Of Life</a>- Stanford Report
<a href="https://amzn.to/3O7c2Eq" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Self Determination Theory</a>- Deci and Ryan
Thank you to our wonderful Sponsor!
<a href="https://melscience.com/sBHd/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Mel Science&nbsp;</a>is our episode sponsor. They are a learning resource that my daughter has been using this past year and she LOVES it!
<a href="https://melscience.com/sBHd/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">MEL Science</a>&nbsp;is a subscription service that offers monthly science boxes, which combines hands-on experiments with VR and AR technologies to engage kids in studying science. Science is about exploration, experiments, discovery, and asking questions &ndash; all of which comes naturally to all children.They strive to make serious science accessible, interesting, and cool.
<a href="https://melscience.com/sBHd/" aria-label="undefined (opens in a new tab)">Mel Science</a>&nbsp;is offering Honey! I&rsquo;m Homeschooling The Kids listeners a 50% discount for the 1st month for any of their subscriptions (Chemistry, STEM, Physics, Coding, Med). To access this discount, use the promo code HONEY at purchase.

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.

Honey! I'm Homeschooling The Kids

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into homeschooling, alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.

Honey I'm Homeschooling The Kids! - A podcast that steps into homeschooling, alternative education, parenting, and living a fun, fuller family life.

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