Kolbecast

10: In the Driver’s Seat

AMDG. Feeling the shine (or enormity) of a new school year wearing off and a sense of "why haven’t we figured this out yet?” setting in? You’re not alone. On Episode 10 of the Kolbecast, Jordan, Bonnie, and Hope talk about how getting into a routine can be elusive but how building the habit of finishing strong is always on the curriculum around here, the concept and execution of mastery as opposed to mechanistic schooling, students’ responsibility to actively participate in acquiring knowledge, what exercises are “essential” versus actually essential, and the importance of not taking things too seriously.  
“As you know, the task of a teacher is not simply to impart information or to provide training in skills intended to deliver some economic benefit to society; education is not and must never be considered as purely utilitarian. It is about forming the human person, equipping him or her to live life to the full – in short it is about imparting wisdom. And true wisdom is inseparable from knowledge of the Creator, for ‘both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.’ (Wis 7:16).” Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010 Address to Teachers and Religious. 
 Jordan’s blog post on ship building - https://blog.kolbe.org/roles-and-models-in-education/ 
Jordan’s blog post on educating at home, especially in these times 
Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich on Goodreads and Bookshop.org 

9: Interview with Kolbe Grad Monnica Prudlo

AMDG.  In Episode 9, we visit with 2019 Kolbe alumna Monnica Prudlo. She regales us with her recollection of writing her student graduation address for the 2019 Kolbe graduation ceremony and reminisces about her Kolbe experience, including how she cultivated friendships by participating in the clubs and talent show, and how her Kolbe formation has helped prepare her for her university studies. Monnica is studying abroad this semester, so we hear about the preparations she’s made for that in light of the pandemic along with what she’s looking forward to while in Rome. She has some words of wisdom for current Kolbe students as well.  
(Hope would like it noted that she misspoke and meant Razumikhin, the noble best friend, instead of Raskolnikov, the nihilistic main character, when she referenced Crime and Punishment). 

8: Great Expectations with Colleen Carroll Campbell

AMDG. Homeschooling is often a magnifying glass for the intersection between our expectations and reality. On today’s episode, award-winning author, journalist, and former presidential speechwriter Colleen Carroll Campbell visits with Bonnie and Hope about spiritual perfectionism and white-knuckling it through what you think you need to do to be holy; the benefits of incorporating the Ignatian examen into your day; guiding children with perfectionist tendencies; and devotion to the Sacred Heart. 
Colleen’s website: https://colleen-campbell.com  
Colleen’s newest book, The Heart of Perfection, now available in paperback: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Heart-of-Perfection/Colleen-Carroll-Campbell/9781982106171  
Sarah Mackenzie’s book, Teaching from Rest: https://readaloudrevival.com/rest/  
Ignatian examen: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Examen-Prayer-Card.pdf 
 

7: Et Tu, Iordane?

AMDG. Although we met Bonnie and Hope in our first episode of the relaunched Kolbecast, we didn’t get to hear much from Jordan, who is himself a homeschool alumnus, a homeschooling dad, and a teacher of homeschoolers via Kolbe Academy’s Online Academy.  In this episode, we get to know Jordan a little better. 
Links:  
Jordan’s talk at the 2020 Virtual Homeschool Conference  
Replay of Jordan’s talk "An Unexpected Adventure: How Learning Languages Changed the Way I Think" 
Latin for Adults Registration The class will meet on Thursday evenings from 7:00PM-8:00PM ET from September 10th until December 10th, with Thanksgiving being the exception.  
Jordan interviews his mom 
Some of Jordan's Kolbe blog posts here and here.
Be on the lookout for Jordan’s forthcoming memoir!  

6: Off and Running

AMDG. As the school year kicks into gear, the day-to-day of homeschooling is the topic of the day. Bonnie and Hope offer a range of suggestions free for the taking or leaving about daily rhythms or practices, walking through school days, navigating when someone hits a figurative wall, regrouping when the wheels fall off an entire day, managing sick days, reframing the sometimes-daunting idea of being a “teacher” to the monikers of being a facilitator or air traffic controller (among others), trusting the Kolbe structure and process, and a few other big-picture thoughts.  
Circadian rhythm article: https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-ideal-work-schedule-as-determined-by-circadian-rhythms  
Sheet pan pancakes recipe: https://www.thekitchn.com/sheet-pan-pancakes-recipe-23059380  
I (Bonnie) use 2 ¼ cups AP flour and don’t stir in anything that would provide texture such as fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips. I also preheat the pan while mixing together the ingredients. When the ingredients are ready to be baked, I remove the pan from the oven and line it with parchment paper that I then brush with melted butter before pouring in the batter. Last time we made this recipe, we did without the powdered sugar topping. No one missed it.  For festive occasions we serve bacon and scrambled eggs with the sheet pan pancake.  
One Pan Wonders cookbook: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/one-pan-wonders   
Morning offering coffee mug: https://roseharrington.com/products/morning-offering-mug-bright-white-14-oz 
Morning offering static cling: https://www.studiosenn.com/product-page/morning-offering-static-cling  
One example of a family litany: https://www.etsy.com/listing/775792338/family-litany-of-saints-family-prayer?ref=shop_home_active_11&pro=1&frs=1 
St. Maximilian Kolbe coffee mug: https://beaheart.com/collections/lifestyle/products/maximilian-kolbe-16oz-travel-mug 
St. Thomas Aquinas’s prayer for students: https://aleteia.org/2017/11/21/a-students-prayer-by-st-thomas-aquinas/ 
St. John XXIII’s bedtime prayer: https://aleteia.org/2019/03/31/when-falling-asleep-pray-this-prayer-to-rest-in-peace/ 
 

5: Planning on Paper and Online

AMDG. Developing a family and homeschool calendar can be daunting, but Bonnie and Hope break it down this episode of the Kolbecast. They talk about the pros and cons of paper planners and online calendars, the Schoology online platform’s various options, keeping family members up to date on meal plans and commitments, and how fostering use of a planner can be a prayerful act of both responsibility and surrender. 
Bonnie’s simple planner: this cover design but 8.5” x 11” 
Hope’s hourly and to-list planner: Simplified daily edition 
Completely customizable build-a-planner option 

4: Homeschool Workspaces

AMDG. Developing a workspace for homeschooling is one of those things that is specific and personal, and yet it’s almost impossible to get a foothold without knowing what works for other people. In this episode, Bonnie and Hope discuss their own homeschooling workspaces, things that worked and didn’t work for them in putting those workspaces together, how paperwork organization fits into their space, and the flexibility of being able to take schoolwork on the go. 
Letter tray organizer: https://www.amazon.com/SimpleHouseware-Desktop-Document-Letter-Organizer/dp/B01K07MYA6/  

3: Dramatic Arts with Dolores Mihaliak

AMDG. The dramatic arts are a profound combination of the spoken word and the human person, where actors embody fundamental ideas of creation along with significant literary and production components. In this episode, Kolbe Online teacher (and alumna!) Dolores Ann Mihaliak visits with Bonnie and Hope about these ideas and Kolbe’s new Drama Portfolio and Advanced Dramatic Arts classes, including how Kolbe’s curriculum addresses questions of humanity and relationships in context and the Zoom theater online creative endeavor developing in quarantine. 
Dolores’s upcoming online production of As You Like It: https://www.richmondcatholictheatre.com/ 
@TheInitiativeTheater on Facebook and Instagram