Jean Miller ⭐ Homeschool Mentor | Podcast Host

Hi, I’m Jean! I never expected to spend over 25 years of my life homeschooling my three children… But I did, and it ended up being the most beautiful endeavor I could have imagined. 💜💜💜 I started my career as a high school English teacher. And with a Master of Arts in Teaching, I truly wanted to make an impact in the field of education. When our kids came along, I dreamed of teaching at the local public school and then spending the summers with my family! But after touring preschools for our oldest son, I came home and told my husband, Brian, “We need a Plan B.” The thing is, we had a really energetic kid on our hands, and I just knew that those preschool teachers I was observing back in 1994 just weren’t equipped to give my son’s spirit what he truly needed. Because a mother always knows, right?!!!😉 So that’s when our homeschooling journey began. I was already an educator, but I was starting over with my two small boys, at home, and it was a surprisingly big change! Yet deep down, I was happy to be at home with my kids! It felt right, but homeschooling sure was a challenge at first. Curriculum collector – Yup. Information overwhelm – Yup. Burnout on the horizon – Yup. And right when we got into a groove, our daughter came along 6 weeks early! 😮 We made it through many ups and downs… And I can tell you, homeschooling is an awesome, amazing, wholehearted adventure! I’m so glad you’re here! I offer homeschool support in all shapes & sizes. Please let me know how I can help you.💜 #homeschool #homeschooling #simplehomeschool #waldorfhomeschool #thisishomeschool #homeschooljourney #homeschoollife #homeschoolinspiration

🌠Three FREEBIES from the Art of Homeschooling🌠 Create a holistic homeschool life you love with these three essential resources: ⭐The Homeschool Rhythm Starter Kit ⭐Ages & Stages: Waldorf-Inspired Grades at a Glance (NEW!) ⭐Weaving the Arts into Homeschooling Grab them for FREE to deeply understand the 3 pillars of holistic, Waldorf-inspired homeschooling ~ rhythm, the stages of child development through the grades, and the lively arts. At the Art of Homeschooling, we’re dedicated to supporting your homeschooling journey! You’ll find these FREE resources, plus more at the Art of Homeschooling. And you’ll find the links for all 3 in my profile.💜 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfinspired #homeschooljourney #homeschoollife

Started in 2007, the Taproot Teacher Training for Waldorf-Inspired Homeschoolers is held in August in northeastern Ohio. EVERY YEAR! 😉 Barbara Dewey of Waldorf Without Walls held this one-of-kind weekend retreat on her Taproot Farm for many years, with sleeping accommodations in the old farm house, composting latrines, solar showers, and community-style meals. Today, Taproot is held at the Camp Asbury Retreat Center in Hiram, Ohio. Homeschooling parents gather from all over North America for the long weekend of teacher training workshops, singing, circle games, hiking, campfires, swimming in the lake, community building, inner work, and more. If you’re ready to train up your teaching skills, tune into your creativity, and tap into your homeschooling flow, consider joining this transformational experience! Prepare for your upcoming homeschool year while connecting with like-minded homeschoolers and experienced homeschooling mentors, all while enjoying a retreat experience amongst rolling hills, quiet woodlands, and the peacefulness of nature. The Taproot Teacher Training is an inclusive retreat experience with three meals a day served in the family-style dining hall, accommodations in cozy bunkrooms, snacks, yoga, swimming in the lake, and so much more. Payment plans available. Register today! You’ll leave with a renewed spirit for your homeschooling journey. 🌄 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfinspired #waldorfathome #homeschooljourney #taprootteachertraining

You don’t have to hold it all! You are not responsible for feeding every skill and concept to your child from kindergarten to graduation. (Nor can you let go entirely of your intention to foster lifelong learning.) It can feel like a lot of pressure to show up every day ~ day after day. And if you’re feeling stressed, no matter how hard you try, that will influence how you show up. You have permission to simplify. Especially during holiday weeks like this. (Thanksgiving here in the U.S.) And even into December. Maybe you have extra cooking or cleaning to do. Maybe grandparents or extended family are coming to stay. Maybe you’re traveling. Maybe you just need a break. Try my 20-20-20 Rule. You can read and move ahead in your main lesson material without a full 2 or 3 day rhythm. You can read from your read aloud without creating a main lesson book page or summary. And it will be enough! Sometimes it feels like we have to account for every detail. All.The.Time. It’s okay to let it go. For a day or a week. And pick it back up after a break. The 20-20-20 Rule can help you keep your rhythm and some consistency so that when you do pick back up after a break, everything flows. If you want to know more about anything mentioned here ~ The Minimum Viable Homeschool Day, The Book Hearth, math curriculum, age-appropriate read alouds ~ just ask! The Art of Homeschooling community and team are here to support you to craft a homeschooling life that you love! 💜 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #thisishowwehomeschool #homeschoollife

Who’s making apple pies this fall?🍎🥧🍏 We (Jean & Sarah) got together earlier this fall to share some more of our favorite ways of weaving movement, verses, and songs into homeschooling. This one’s super simple! Here is an apple tree with leaves so green. (Stand tall with arms outstretched like branches.) Here are the apples that hang in between. (Make hands into fists like round apples.) When the winds blow, the apples will fall. (Bend and swing arms towards the ground.) Here is a basket to gather them all! (Bring arms to form a circle like a round basket.) Stick around here at the Art of Homeschooling for more inspiration and support for your journey!💜 #waldorfhomeschool #homeschool #waldorfinspired #homeschoollife

Year seven of Waldorf-inspired homeschooling is truly transformative. If your seventh grader is unpredictable and difficult to understand, be gentle. With them and with yourself. 💗 A big shift is happening as seventh (and eighth) graders enter the teen years. This is a transition from seeing and interacting with the world in a heart-centered way to a more head-centered one. I’ve parented through this transition…three times! And I can tell you that the best approach is to get curious, observe your child, and strive to really know who they are. As a parent educator, this can be a magical year to let your own passions and interests blossom as you walk alongside your child on the learning journey. To learn and grow together is a real joy! I hope this gives you some food for thought if you're embarking upon seventh grade this year. Remember, it’s all about connection, even through the rocky teen years. You’ve got this!😘 #homeschool #homeschooljourney #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfathome

💫🌠Dear Lantern, Guide me with your light!🌠💫 The sunlight fast is dwindling, My little lamp needs kindling. It’s beam shines far in darkest night, Dear lantern, guide me with your light. #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfinspired #waldorffamily

It’s never all or nothing! I wrote those words last week ~ wanting to share simple, doable ideas with you. Not thinking of the events coming up here in the U.S. this week specifically. Just how sometimes homeschool life can be challenging. And it’s been a doozy of a week, looking back. Life is full of uncertainty. You may doubt your decisions or question your commitment to this homeschooling path. When overwhelm sneaks in, remember ~ it’s never all or nothing! If you want to hear comforting words, check out the podcast this week. I encourage you to focus on maintaining a supportive rhythm and activities that build connection. One day at at time.💜 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #homeschoollife #homeschooljourney

🤸‍♀️Juice up your homeschooling with a Voxer jumpstart coaching day🤸‍♀️ …when you join the Inspired at Home coaching membership! Today’s the last day for the 💫✨SHINE ON✨💫 special event celebrating the six year anniversary of our community. I’m so grateful for all the homeschooling parents who show up to support each other on their journeys. Striving everyday to make the world a better place for their children. 💜🌍🙏 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfathome #homeschoolideas

💫✨SHINE ON✨💫This weekend only! This is a one-time SPECIAL OFFER to elevate your homeschooling and illuminate your journey. Homeschoolers, I know you’ve listened to the homeschooling podcasts, followed the blogs, read the books, and cultivated the Pinterest boards. We homeschoolers are always searching, seeking, striving… But are you really shining? As homeschoolers, we’re making big decisions every day about our children, their education, and their future. So SHINE ON is for YOU to get YOUR questions answered! TWO opportunities to seek 1:1 guidance and support from the Art of Homeschooling about your homeschooling journey ~ Jumpstart Coaching Day with Jean NEXT WEEK, and 2 Breakthrough Coaching Calls with the Art of Homeschooling team. The 💫✨SHINE ON✨💫 offer starts tomorrow in honor of the 6th anniversary of the Inspired at Home coaching community. You know where to find the details.💜 #homeschool #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfathome

Hi friends!👋 It’s been awhile since I’ve said hello here, so I’m just popping in with some fun facts about me, Jean. I’m the mentor and coach here at the Art of Homeschooling and I’m so happy you’re here. I work with holistic, heart-centered homeschoolers like you every day, offering online classes with Inspired at Home, 1:1 and group coaching, literature block plans, and homeschool planning resources, as well as putting on a live homeschool teacher training event every summer here in Ohio. When I’m not working with homeschoolers, you’ll find me riding my bike, singing with friends, serving my spiritual community, or cooking yummy food with my hubs in our renovated 1920’s railroad kitchen in our Cleveland home. If you don’t know what a railroad kitchen is, look it up! I love it, really!🤣💜🏡 I’m so grateful to be able to do this work serving families and sharing my love of learning. Please reach out, I’d love to connect with you! xoxo, Jean #homeschool #homeschooling #homeschooljourney #homeschoollife #waldorfhomeschool

Just keep singing! 🎶🤩💜 I talk often about how “circle time” is a challenging idea for homeschoolers. Movement and music, however, are a deeply-rooted part of the human experience. Think about when your grandmothers, great-grandmothers, great-great-grandmothers would have been moving and singing throughout their days, spending time with young children. Can you tap into that and just keep singing? Comment WIND and I’ll drop the direct link to the lyrics and sheet music for this lovely fall tune into your DMs.🍂 #waldorfhomeschool #waldorfinspired #waldorfathome