Your Morning Basket
80 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 3 years ago - ★★★★★ - 509 ratingsJoin us as we delve into the principles and practices of homeschool Morning Time aka Morning Basket or Circle Time. With both experts in their fields and mentor-moms, we will discuss everything from how to choose the right books for a wide age range, to how to memorize a poem, to how to get the kids to sit still. All your burning Morning Time questions answered right here -- every other Tuesday.
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Episodes
YMB #78 Civics and Current Events: A Conversation with Jill Hummer
August 25, 2020 04:00 - 47 minutes - 32.7 MBProfessor and homeschool mom Jill Hummer joins me on this episode of the podcast to talk all about teaching civics and current events in your Morning Time. We chat about what Civics is, exactly, as well as the best ways to bring a living knowledge of citizenship to your kids. We also discuss age-appropriate ways to include civics, what to do about current events, and how you can make citizenship a natural part of your homeschool and family. For show notes and episode downloads, visit: ht...
YMB #77 Awaking Wonder: A Conversation with Sally Clarkson
August 11, 2020 04:00 - 51 minutes - 35.1 MBOn today's episode of the podcast I welcome Sally Clarkson, author and homeschool mom, to chat about her soon-to-be-released book Awaking Wonder. Education does not have to be difficult or stifling. Find out how homeschool families can create delightful learning based on good books and beautiful experiences. For show notes and episode downloads, visit: https://pambarnhill.com/ymb77
YMB #76 Homeschooling Kindergarten: A Conversation with Rebecca Zipp
July 28, 2020 04:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBNothing strikes fear in the homeschool mom more than starting kindergarten with that first child. I remember wondering how I was ever really going to make this work. (Pssst -- it has!) I am joined on the podcast today by Rebecca Zipp, a homeschooling mom who has put much thought into a gentle kindergarten. We have a message for the new homeschooling moms out there. It is going to be ok. Of course, we also spend quite a bit of time talking about how Morning Time fits into the homeschool...
YMB #75 Teaching History through Story: A Conversation with Rea Berg
July 14, 2020 05:30 - 43 minutes - 41.2 MBRea Berg loves books and stories. She has become quite the collector of them through the years as she homeschooled her six children and then later went on to found Beautiful Feet Books. On today's show Rea joins me to chat about how we can use literature to teach history from story. We will be chatting about some of the challenges homeschool families face in the teaching of history, why stories and living books make an effective approach to history study, and how to pivot from using textbo...
YMB #74 Celebrate Books: A Conversation with Mary Wilson
May 26, 2020 05:30 - 51 minutes - 49.4 MBI am joined today on the podcast by Mary Wilson, a homeschool mom and book lover who believes that fun should be an integral part of the homeschool day. In this episode Mary and I discuss the idea of celebrating books in big and small ways. We chat about some of Mary's past book celebrations, how she got started, and why she thinks this is a unique and important way to introduce your kids to literature. We also chat about how you can make book celebrations doable and bring a little bit of ...
YMB #73 Finding Truth in Every Subject: A Conversation with Brandy Vencel
May 12, 2020 05:30 - 56 minutes - 54.3 MBOn today's episode of the podcast I am chatting with a good friend Brandy Vencel all about which subjects in our homeschools are appropriate for Morning Time. Are some activities and subjects holier than others? Are there any subjects that do not pertain to God? These are all fascinating questions. While we do not claim to have a definitive answer we welcome you to join us as we begin the discussion. Let us know what you think in the comments. For the downloads including transcri...
YMB #72 Help! My Kid Hates Morning Time
April 28, 2020 05:30 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBWhat do you do when you have a kid (or two or more) who do not like Morning Time? As much as we want to think that our kids will be as enamored with the idea of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty as we are, sometimes that just isn't the case -- especially when we start building a Morning Time habit after our homeschools are already established. Today I am joined by Dawn Garrett, Community Manager here at Your Morning Basket, and we chat about solutions to this very problem. We talk about flex...
YMB #71 Nature Study Hacking: A Conversation with Joy Cherrick
April 14, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes - 34.8 MBToday on the podcast I am joined by Joy Cherrick, homeschooling mom of six and author of Nature Study Hacking. This series of lesson plans boils down nature journaling to a do-able list that moms everywhere can actually use. On the show Joy and I chat about the value of studying nature, the four parts of nature study, and ideas for how to make nature journaling a habit that your kids want to do on their own. Enjoy! More information, downloads, and show notes at https://pambarnhill.com/ym...
YMB #70 The Magic of Folk Music: A Conversation with Professor Carol
March 31, 2020 05:30 - 42 minutes - 39 MBDr. Carol Reynolds joins me on today's show to give a delightful lesson about folk music. In this episode Prof. Carol enthusiastically shares about the value of folk music for our kids, what exactly a folk song is anyway, and how to get started studying them in your Morning Time. Full of wonderful stories and great resources, I think this is an episode you will really enjoy. Don't forget to grab your episode downloads at pambarnhill.com/ymb70
YMB #69 Morning Time and the Bilingual Homeschool: A Conversation with Lauren Stengele
March 17, 2020 05:30 - 40 minutes - 38.8 MBI am joined on the podcast today by Lauren Stengele, a non-native Spanish speaker who is passionate about raising bilingual kids. Lauren is teaching her kids Spanish in order to reclaim her own Mexican heritage and she is using Morning Time to make this a reality in her homeschool. In this episode of the podcast Lauren and I chat about how she incorporates two languages intro her school day, what makes Morning Time such a great vehicle for second language learning and also about the tw...
YMB #68 Choosing Books for Your Morning Time: A Conversation with Jessica Lawton
March 03, 2020 06:30 - 43 minutes - 43.3 MBOn today's episode of the podcast I am chatting with a good friend and author of the Morning Time plans at pambarnhill.com. Jessica Lawton is a bibliophile and owner of a library of over 3000 books. She is also great a choosing just the right books to use in Morning Time. On today's podcast Jessica and I chat about how to choose the best books about a topic, which books she thinks are worth owning versus merely borrowing, and how to use different kinds of books for different purposes.
YMB #67 Lenten Practices for Everyone
February 18, 2020 12:17 - 57 minutes - 64.3 MBToday's episode of the Your Morning Basket podcast has not one, but two great interviews. First up on the show is my good friend Fr. Doug Martin who is here to talk about the spiritual observation of Lent and how all Christians can practice this in their families. As we were preparing that interview we were approached by author Asheritah Ciuciu, an evangelical author who has her own Lenten devotional recently published by Moody Publishers. We decided to have Ahseritah on the show as well t...
YMB #66 Art Appreciation for Your Ears: A Conversation with Alisha and Olivia Gratehouse
February 03, 2020 22:58 - 31 minutes - 32.9 MBToday on the podcast I am joined by Alisha Gratehouse and her daughter Olivia from Masterpiece Society. As fans of art, Alisha and Olivia have started a new art appreciation podcast that takes a fun and "cheeky" look at artists and their work. In fact, it is quickly becoming a favorite of the teens and tweens in my house. In this episode of the show discover what is unique about the Masterpiece Maker's approach to studying the artists, why it is far from boring, and how you can use this fr...
YMB #65 Remembrance and Grammar: A Conversation with Cindy Rollins
January 21, 2020 06:30 - 57 minutes - 57.9 MBCindy Rollins, mom of nine and “Mama of Morning Time” (so-named by me!), is back on the podcast this week to chat about Stratford Caldecott’s Beauty in the Word — specifically the portion on grammar, or what Caldecott calls “remembering.” Join us as we chat about anamnesis, what it is and how it is alike and different what we already associate with memory. Listen for: The idea of anchoring or tethering our children to a cultural heritage. What are some Morning Time elements that help ...
YMB #64 Memory Work from a Mom’s Perspective: A Conversation with Amy Sloan
January 07, 2020 13:23 - 46 minutes - 51.7 MBToday on the podcast I am joined by Amy Sloan from humilityanddoxology.com and mom of five kids ages 4 to 14. For about the past five years Amy has made memory work a central part of her homeschool day. In this episode Amy and I discuss how to be consistent with memory work, how you find great pieces to memorize, and practical ways you can make this happen in your home. We also chat about the debate between memorizing facts versus spending your time memorizing other worthy passages, how ...
YMB #63 Transitioning to Morning Time with Older Kids with Cindy West
December 24, 2019 06:30 - 39 minutes - 40.9 MBWhat happens to your morning time as your kids get older? Does it change or do we stop requiring them to attend? Can your teen outgrow Morning Time? These are the questions that Cindy West from Our Journey Westward joins me to answer today. In this episode of the podcast we talk about how the tone of Morning Time changes as your kids get older, how to get their buy in with what you are doing, and what a Morning Time with older kids can look like. Enjoy! Show notes at https://pambarnhill....
YMB #62 Personal and Communal Prayer: A Conversation with Christopher and Christine Perrin
December 10, 2019 14:20 - 1 hour - 66.7 MBToday we welcome Christopher and Christine Perrin to the podcast to chat about prayer in your homeschool, Morning Time, and personal time. It is a fascinating conversation. Join us as we discuss: How prayer can be both personal discipline and corporate practice. What are the best ways to teach and model the practice of prayer? Tips for modeling something when we are just learning it ourselves. Different types of prayer and the value of each. Tips for praying the Scriptures. And re...
YMB #61 Morning Time with Teens: A Conversation with Heather Woodie
November 27, 2019 01:57 - 50 minutes - 52.3 MBToday we are joined on the podcast by Heather Woodie of Blog She Wrote, mom of four young adults. Heather has been practicing Morning Time in her family for a number of years, and has seen a shift in the practice as she has graduated two kids and is now left home with two more teens to go. In this episode of the podcast we chat about: how Heather's Morning Time changed has changed over the years. why is Morning Time still a valuable practice in the teen years. what kind of adjustments...
YMB #60 The Truth About Myth: A Conversation with Angelina Stanford
December 04, 2018 06:30 - 55 minutes - 58.8 MBShe's back! One of my favorite guests ever is back again on the Your Morning Basket podcast. Last fall when we had Angelina Stanford on the show to talk to us about why fairy tales are important reading for your kids, you let us know how much you loved the episode and Angelina's enthusiasm for the topic. Today she is no less enthusiastic as we dive into what exactly myth is (surprised me), Justin Martyr and his "seeds of truth," why medieval Christians fought Viking invaders to preserv...
YMB #59 The Abolition of Man and Education: A Conversation with Dr. Jason Jewell
November 20, 2018 06:30 - 1 hour - 53.4 MBThe Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis is a series of essays on the state of education and truth in the 21st Century. A slim volume, yet dense with ideas, it is a worthy read for any parent dedicated to the education of their child in Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Today we have special guest Dr. Jason Jewell with us to help us unpack and understand Lewis's work and begin to learn how it applies to the education of our children.
YMB #58 Singing in Morning Time: Yes, you can! A Conversation with Heather Bunting
November 06, 2018 06:30 - 48 minutes - 42.3 MBHeather Bunting is passionate about helping families learn to sing -- even if mom doesn't think she can carry a tune at all. Through her free YouTube channel, Children of the Open Air, Heather helps make solfege lessons, hymns, and folks songs accessible for homeschool families everywhere. In this episode of the podcast, Heather talks about the skill of learning to sing, how we can incorporate singing lessons into our Morning Time, and what to do about those who feel they lack the talent t...
YMB #57 Morning Time on the Go
October 23, 2018 05:30 - 39 minutes - 37.8 MBIf you ever need to take Morning Time on the road then this episode is for you. Dawn Garrett joins me to chat about why and how we can pack up our Morning Times and take them with us -- getting homeschooling done even when we can't be at home. If you are out of the house a day or more each week then this episode is for you.
YMB #56 A Morning Time Mentor: A Conversation with Heather Tully
October 09, 2018 05:30 - 47 minutes - 43 MBHave you ever wanted another mom to come along beside you and show you exactly what Morning Time looks like? Maybe, you think, I could just stop by her home and be a fly on the wall and unpack the mysteries of this Morning Time thing? Heather Tully has done just that with other moms in her community and she has been doing it for years. On this episode of the podcast Heather joins me to talk about what this kind of mentoring can look like and how we might reach out and help other moms learn...
YMB #55 Story and the Redeemed Imagination: A Conversation with Andrew Peterson
September 25, 2018 05:30 - 50 minutes - 44.7 MBAndrew Peterson knows a thing or two about a good story and creativity. He is on the show today to talk about sharing both with your kids, his work with the Rabbit Room as a place for children's authors to support one another and grow, and a little something he calls the redeemed imagination. It's a fascinating conversation with topics as diverse as C.S. Lewis, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Harry Potter. Enjoy!
YMB #54 Natural Foreign Language Learning: A Conversation with Adelaide Olguin
September 11, 2018 05:30 - 57 minutes - 49.5 MBMom's are natural teachers for a language -- after all moms teach their kids language all the time. Foreign language can work the same way as a first language -- simply start with words and phrases you use everyday and build on one or two at a time. Soon you will know more words in a new language than you ever imagined. Adelaide Olguin is on the show today to tell us about how this natural language learning works and how you can begin to implement this in your home to learn new languages wit...
YMB #53 Character education for families: A Conversation with Heather McMillan
August 28, 2018 05:30 - 52 minutes - 45.7 MBWelcome to a brand new season of the Your Morning Basket Podcast. We are kicking off the year with an important but fun conversation with the creator of We Choose Virtues, Heather McMillian. I love Heather's enthusiasm for helping teach kids about virtues. Drawing on her years of experience as a teacher and children's pastor, Heather has created a system that opens a dialogue in families about good character and helps parents go beyond just securing good behavior and really reach the hearts ...
YMB #52 Exploring Math Through Literature: A Conversation with Becky McIntosh
May 08, 2018 05:30 - 42 minutes - 40.7 MBBecky McIntosh can see the beauty and joy in math. She says it comes from practice -- that she makes a special point to look for the beauty of mathematics everyone. Lucky for us, she is on a mission to help other homeschool moms find the same joy in math as well. She is here today on the podcast with an inspiring look at how we can use literature to connect our kids to cool, interesting mathematical concepts. This one is a lot of fun.
YMB #51 Studying Geography Through Literature: A Conversation with Sarita Holzmann
April 24, 2018 05:30 - 26 minutes - 26.6 MBSarita Holzmann was a reluctant homeschooler but soon came to love it. With a heart for missionaries serving overseas and the people they serve, Sarita has always had an eye towards bringing geography to life using literature. On this episode of the podcast she joins us to discuss why geography is important and why literature is the best way to experience that. Get your notebooks handy -- there is more than one great book recommendation in this episode.
YMB #50 Using the Liturgical Year as a Guide: A Conversation With Andrea Kirk Assaf
April 10, 2018 05:30 - 43 minutes - 41.9 MBAndrea Kirk Assaf homeschools on three continents as her family splits their time between Michigan and Rome as well as spending part of the year visiting her husband's family in Lebanon. Today she joins Pam on this episode of the podcast to talk about Calendar School, her Morning Time variation that includes elements of the Church year and the seasonal cycles. Andrea has a unique take on Morning Time planning that is fascinating and inspiring. We hope you enjoy!
YMB #49 The Read Aloud Family: A Conversation with Sarah Mackenzie
March 27, 2018 05:30 - 54 minutes - 51.1 MBSarah Mackenzie is on a mission -- a mission to help every family know that the importance of reading aloud goes beyond building bigger test scores and better vocabularies. The importance of reading aloud goes to the very heart of the relationships in your home. Join Pam and Sarah on the podcast as they chat why this is even more relevant to our culture today than it was 20 years ago, practical tips on how to get it done (even with a bunch) of kids, and the books that Sarah and Pam can ne...
YMB 48 Better Together: A New Book
March 14, 2018 02:42 - 44 minutes - 61.9 MBThis week Dawn Garrett and I are on the show with a very special announcement! Better Together is a new book all about Morning Time and it is hitting the bookstores today. Dawn and I dish about the book, other Morning Time resources, and how Morning Time is a great fit for every kind of homeschooler. Check it out!
YMB #47 Morning Time and the Only Child: A Conversation with Tina Roman
February 27, 2018 06:30 - 27 minutes - 38.3 MBIt's a question we get asked often and it is a good one: How do I do Morning Time when I have just one child? How do I keep it from looking like the rest of my school day? Today Tina Roman, mom of one, is here on the show to talk to us about what Morning Time looks like in her home. Hint: It's not as quiet as you might think it would be. Enjoy!
YMB #46 A Morning Time Variation: A Conversation with Mystie Winckler
February 13, 2018 06:30 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MBIn addition to your more traditional Morning Time we are hearing from moms more and more about Morning Time variations that they are using to enhance their homeschools. Today on the podcast Mystie Winckler is back talking about her Elementary Lessons. These are a separate, mini-co-op style session her family does with another family a couple of times each week. But it also looks suspiciously like Morning Time. Check it out.
YMB #45 The Importance of Story: A Conversation with S. D. Smith
January 30, 2018 06:30 - 52 minutes - 71.7 MBWe are kicking off the new season of the Your Morning Basket podcast with a conversation about story. And there is no one better equipped to talk to us about a good story and the impact it can have on our kids than master-story teller S.D. Smith. Author of the enthralling Green Ember series of books, Sam is here today to chat with us about what makes a good story and how these tales shape our kids. Pulling from his own childhood and what stories have meant to him, this is an episode yo...
YMB #44 Catechism and Memory: A Conversation with Geoffrey Reiter
December 05, 2017 06:30 - 53 minutes - 73.9 MBWhat is a catechism and why is it important to teach to our children? In this episode of the podcast Dr. Geoffrey Reiter joins me to talk about how catechism and memory shape us along with some practical tips for implementing catechism memorization into our Morning Time. It's a fascinating conversation full of practical advice (including which catechisms to use) and things to ponder.
YMB #43 Subjects and Virtue in Morning Time: A Conversation with Cindy Rollins
November 21, 2017 06:30 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MBListener favorite Cindy Rollins is back on the podcast in this special cross-over episode between Your Morning Basket and the Mason Jar Podcast. Drawing on Cindy's vast experience, we chat about which subjects are best for Morning Time plus a whole lot more. Listen in and then search out The Mason Jar on your favorite podcast app to get the rest of the story.
YMB SP2: Ack! It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
November 16, 2017 14:03 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MBThe Advent and Christmas seasons are almost upon us and homeschool moms are looking for ways to change their pace and do something special for the holiday seasons. Today Pam and Dawn Garrett discuss options for celebrating while still learning until your holiday break. Tons of good ideas in this one! Find links and resources at https://pambarnhill.com/ymbsp2
YMB #42 Seeking Truth: A Conversation with Ashley Woleben
November 07, 2017 06:30 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBWhat is lectio divina and how can we use this ancient monastic practice in leading our students to truth. Ashley Woleben is on the show today to answer that question and so much more.
YMB #41 Why Fairy Tales are Not Optional: A Conversation with Angelina Stanford
October 24, 2017 05:30 - 53 minutes - 73.8 MBAngelina Stanford and I started our conversation with a show down. "I'm going to have to limit you to an hour," I told her. "You're going to have a hard time with that," was her reply. Boy was she ever right! I just wanted this conversation about fairy tales to go on and on and on. Fairy tales are a staple of many a childhood -- I know I spent hours as a kid reading from Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson. Thanks to the influence of people like Andrew Pudewa I have been sharing original...
YMB #40 A Mother's Morning Basket: A Conversation with Jennifer Mackintosh
October 10, 2017 05:30 - 46 minutes - 63.6 MBAll home education begins with self-education -- for mom. In our efforts to learn and grow as the teachers of our children one tool we can use is our own morning basket -- a Mother's Morning Basket. In this episode Jen Mackintosh is back on the program to tell us all about her own Mother's Morning Basket. We discuss how she plans it, what's inside, and the keys to making it an enjoyable practice.
YMB #39 Building Relationships with Circle Time: A Conversation with Kendra Fletcher
September 26, 2017 05:30 - 41 minutes - 57.4 MBOne of the earliest books I purchased on homeschooling -- way back when my oldest was only four-years-old -- was Kendra Fletcher's Circle Time: Plan the Best Part of Your Day. It was my first introduction to what I would later call Morning TIme. That inspiration is why I wanted to have Kendra on the show today to tell her Circle Time story. I think you will be inspired.
YMB #38 Morning Time with Middle Grades: A Conversation with Kim Devers
September 12, 2017 05:30 - 45 minutes - 62.2 MBWe all know that Morning Time works great when you have younger kids in the house, but what does it look like for middle school? Is it even possible? The answer is "Yes!" Middle schoolers can thrive in Morning Time and Kim Devers is here today to tell us about how it works with the middle grade kids in her family.
YMB #37: Loops, Blocks, and Other Schedule Options Morning Time
August 29, 2017 05:30 - 50 minutes - 70.2 MBLearning about loop scheduling five years ago was one of the best things that ever happened to my homeschool. Suddenly I was able to schedule my day in such a way that I never stressed about missing a day in the schedule. Other times, I have used block schedules with much success in my Morning Time to be able to enjoy more subjects in a year. Both types of scheduling are handy and have benefits. Both types also inspire tons of questions from listeners. So today Dawn and I are happy to brin...
YMB #36 Invited to Imagine: A Conversation with Sheila Carroll
May 16, 2017 05:30 - 44 minutes - 61.5 MBWe all know that we should read to our children, but there are also benefits to the practice of telling our children stories. On this episode of the podcast Charlotte Mason educator and master storyteller Sheila Carroll is here to talk about the benefits of sharing stories, some techniques to use, and how to enchant your children with wonderful tales.
YMB #35 Special Needs and Morning Time: A Conversation with Meghan Dempster
May 02, 2017 05:30 - 32 minutes - 44.8 MBWe love to say that Morning Time is for everyone from toddler to mom. No matter what your age, you can always take something from the subjects in Morning Time. This week Meghan Dempster is here to emphasize that message and add to it. Morning Time is beneficial to everyone no matter their abilities and needs as well. Meghan and I chat about how Morning Time can help kids with special needs as well as how to meet some of the unique challenges that come with doing Morning Time with special n...
YMB #34 A More Organic Morning Time: A Conversation with Hayley Beck
April 18, 2017 05:30 - 38 minutes - 53.5 MBSometimes as much as we want to create an ideal Morning Time habit in our home, something stands in our way. That doesn't mean we have to give up. Our guest today, Hayley Beck found that by putting aside the idea of an ideal Morning Time she was able to create something that works very well for her family. Hear all about how it works for them in this episode.
YMB #33 Hymns in Morning Time: A Conversation with Kari Bass
April 04, 2017 05:30 - 41 minutes - 57.6 MBHymn study has long been a staple of many homeschool Morning Times. One of the greatest gifts you can give your non-readers is the ability to sing along during worship. This week we are chatting with Kari Bass of Hymns at Home about the benefits of studying hymns and some of the resources she has available to make it easier on homeschool families.
YMB #32 Socratic Discussion and Leading to Truth: A Conversation with Matt Bianco
March 21, 2017 05:30 - 54 minutes - 75.1 MBOver 2000 years ago Socrates used questioning techniques with his students to help lead them to truth. Today, homeschoolers are interested in using the same techniques for the same purpose -- but they wonder how exactly to do it. This week on the podcast Matt Bianco, Classical homeschooling dad and director of the Lost Tools of Writing for the Circe Institute joins us to explain what Socratic questioning is, why we would want to use it, and how to implement it in our Morning Time.
YMB #31 Dawn of the Digital Morning Time: A Conversation with Lynna Southerland
March 07, 2017 06:30 - 34 minutes - 48.2 MBSometimes I have a love/hate relationship with technology. Yes, I know there is bad in some, but also that the good in others parts far outweigh those bad things. I love the world that is opened to us because of the technology we have access to. That is why I loved finding Lynna Southerland. This mama has created a Morning Time that focuses on Truth, Goodness, and Beauty -- and it's almost completely digital. I think you're going to get some great ideas from this one! That is why I loved f...
YMB #30 Tension in Morning Time: A Conversation with Jennifer Dow
February 21, 2017 06:30 - 39 minutes - 54.9 MBYou know you love Morning Time but there is something that pulls at you each time you sit down to do it -- especially if your time is short or your day hasn't gone exactly according to plan. We are often faced with the temptation to skip the true, good, and beautiful so we can get on with the "real" learning -- the math, handwriting, and science. But why? Join Jennifer Dow and me as we talk about this tension that so many of us feel. In this conversation we discuss that and the meaning...