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Homeschooling has been around for most of recorded history, but hybrid homeschooling is a fairly new phenomenon. For hybrid homeschoolers, education takes on multiple dimensions, combining elements of both homeschooling and traditional schooling to take advantage of the best aspects of both.

"Most people have heard of homeschooling - kids are educated by parents or caregivers at home, rather than at school, for a variety of reasons. But within the homeschooling community, the growing "unschooling" subset has a somewhat different, amorphous, definition. Depending on whom you ask, unschooling is centered around what the child wants to learn using any and all resources available, not just fixed, school-prescribed curriculum. The general idea behind unschooling is this: getting kids to develop a love of learning for its own sake rather than for grades, and giving kids the opportunity to experience "valuable hands-on, community-based, spontaneous, and real-world experiences.""

"Our boys have just received The Lego Movie for their birthdays and absolutely love it. I think they have watched it every day since receiving it and now we all have the words "Everything is Awesome!" floating around in our heads all day every day. It could become our new family motto: Everything is Awesome!! This got me thinking about how we could use Lego in our homeschool. Since we have many boxes of the bricks and the boys enjoy playing with it, why not use it to help them learn! So I have made a massive list of how lego can be used as part of your homeschool.   I have split it up into subject areas to make it easier to navigate."

"PedagoTube has puzzles, brain teasers, self working math card tricks, paper crafts. Great resources for teachers, homeschoolers, parents, students and you."

"The image-heavy social media platform Pinterest isn't just for making pretty digital tack boards filled with DIY projects and delicious food recipes. Pinterest is a great educational tool for teachers, homeschool parents, and other educators around the world. And the best thing is, it's free! With links to virtually millions of ideas, Pinterest offers a wealth of great information and learning ideas that can be applied to almost any educational environment. Everything is keyword searchable and Pinterest "pins" can be commented on and liked, similar to Facebook. Here we feature 9 great Pinterest classroom ideas that will engage and entertain both teachers and students alike."

"The Managing Complex Change model puts language to that which makes some schools successful while others struggle. The model looks at five components necessary to create a desired environment. These include vision, skills, incentives, resources, action plan. If any one piece is missing the model indicates results schools will experience including change, confusion, anxiety, gradual change, frustration, and a false start. When thinking of successful schools such as Science Leadership Academy, The MET, The Island School, The iSchool, you will find they have all those components in place. On the other hand, when I hear teachers lamenting about their school failures, the model brings clarity to the fact that one or more of these components are missing. Below is the chart that lays this out. Following the chart, I'll take a look at what each missing component might look like in a school environment. As you read, consider which, if any are components, are missing at your school. save image Lack of Vision = Confusion When I hear exasperated teachers spinning their wheels, working so hard to get ready for all the various mandates and requirements, but never feeling a sense of accomplishment, it is clear there is not a tangible school vision that has been communicated. In some cases this is because what is being imposed does or can not reconcile with what the school wanted for their vision. Skill Deficit = Anxiety My heart goes out to those with a skill deficit. They are required to implement a curriculum they are not trained in using or being evaluated via measures with which they are not familiar. Or…they are put into a position they were not trained for or prepared to embrace. Social media provides a great medium for helping these teachers get up to speed, but when the outreach occurs, the anxiety is abundantly clear. Lack of Incentives = Gradual Change It is not unusual for innovative educators to feel like and be perceived as misfits. Islands onto their own

"Welcome teachers, librarians, homeschoolers and nonfiction writers! This blog offers innovative resources for teaching science and tips for writing nonfiction."

"This giant collection of LEGO challenge cards is a simple prep, fun way to sneak some STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning into the day. With cards that range from easy to difficult, little engineers will love tackling the designs. Grab your set below and add them to a classroom center, engineering activity, homeschool lesson, or free play. There are so many ways to use these cards!"

"Any parent balancing work, homeschool and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic is bound to have their limits tested by sheltering in place with kids who haven't seen their friends or participated in sports. Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist and author of Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls, knows well about the stress families face in ordinary times. In these extraordinary times, she has the following advice for families to help get through the crisis:"

"This giant collection of LEGO challenge cards is a simple prep, fun way to sneak some STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning into the day. With cards that range from easy to difficult, little engineers will love tackling the designs. Grab your set below and add them to a classroom center, engineering activity, homeschool lesson, or free play. There are so many ways to use these cards!"

"For a video game, Minecraft is unusual in that it's both hugely popular, and has a ton of educational value. But in terms of both these factors, the creative building game can't hold a candle to its real-life counterpart, good old-fashioned Legos. large_2x4brick_red_held_by_child_0Yes, Lego, the most popular toy ever made is also ridiculously educational! In fact, when coming up with this list it was difficult to limit it to just 20 activities. The educational possibilities of the humble Lego are seemingly endless."