Ambassador Speech and Debate Club by Emily Tant

Communication is the single most universally useful skill a person can take with them into life. The reasoning for this is simple: In life, we have to deal with people and in order to do that we have to communicate with them. Doing so effectively renders one successful, and doing so unsuccessfully, causes obvious problems. Training young people to communicate is of absolute importance for progressive prosperity in the real world. Whatever profession you undertake, communication will play a vital role in achieving success. I Peter 3:15 tells Christians to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.” In the homeschool community, academic speech and debate teaches those skills. Ambassador Speech and Debate Club has blessed our family over the past 5 years. We participate in weekly meetings that focus on various speech events,

Gateway Academy at the Learning Lab Helps Homeschool Families by Matt Fontana

Parents who prefer homeschooling for their children have varying needs for ensuring each child’s success. The Learning Lab has solutions, from supportive assistance in select subjects to a complete curriculum for every grade level – all taught by professional educators. 

Because no two students have identical backgrounds, learning styles and abilities, learning is best achieved in a one-on-one environment where each student learns on an individual and customized basis. For 30 years, the professional educators at the Learning Lab and its GatewayAcademy have been

Finding a Great Umbrella Program by Jenna L. Coghlan

As a homeschooler in Middle Tennessee, you have the opportunity to create your own unique schooling experience. Whether your family enjoys structured schooling from the dining room table, splitting your time between co-ops, or experimenting in your friend’s kitchen, homeschooling is going to look different for every family.

However, all Tennessee homeschoolers have one thing in common, the need for an umbrella program. While it is true that a homeschooling family could register with the State Department of Education, having local law enforcement check on you is not ideal for most families. The vast majority of homeschoolers in Tennessee choose an umbrella program for their legal protection and peace of mind.

Let It Shine Gymnastics Offers Homeschool Program by Debbie Williams

Our home school gymnastics program provides a structured, safe, Christian environment for kids ages 6-13, males and females to be physically active with their peers. We have an assortment of different class types and times to accommodate all schedules. Kids will be able to experience many of the Olympic events including the trampolines, balance beams and so much more. Our daytime schedule allows us to teach our classes while the gym is quiet and empty. From beginner to advanced we will help your kids learn in fun, exciting, and safe environment.

We also offer Ninja Warrior homeschool classes coached by

Cheney Fencing Teaches Homeschoolers Saber Fencing by Lindsey Cheney

Hey Williamson Co. Homeschoolers!

If you are looking for something to stretch and grow both your mind and your body, we would love to introduce you to saber fencing. 

Fencing is one of only five sports that have been included in every modern Olympic Games. The other four are athletics, cycling, swimming and gymnastics. From dueling musketeers to swashbuckling pirates to the gold medals won in modern fencing, this sport bring centuries of tradition, action, honor and strategy together into one experience. 

Modern fencing uses classical concepts mixed with modern technology for a fast paced competition that has been called a "physical game of chess." Fencing tends to be a perfect fit for students who enjoy puzzles and strategy games, as well as

Bryan College: Christ Above All by Pat Wesolowski

Sixteen years ago our family was introduced to Bryan College when our oldest daughter, who was homeschooled, attended Summit Leadership Camp on the Bryan campus. We fell in love with Dayton, with Bryan College, and with Summit Ministries! Our oldest received a scholarship to Bryan and now, 16 years later, 2 of my youngest children (we have 9) are students at Bryan and I have been hired as a homeschool specialist.

What does Bryan have to offer homeschooled students?

Bryan College, a conservative, Christian college located in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, is very homeschool friendly. Realizing that homeschooling families do not

Classical Conversations by Denise McLain

A parent has so many choices when it comes to how to educate their family. I was recently speaking with a family that had graduated homeschoolers and were now enjoying their grand-babies. Compared to them, I cannot begin to fathom putting together a curriculum completely from scratch for all twelve years of my five, soon to be six, children. I'm exhausted at the idea of it. I began my journey by reading all sorts of material on various models of homeschooling long before we even had children. Very quickly my husband and I began to see the value of the classical

4 Tips for Making Sense of Chemistry by Julie Gilbert

Chemistry Study Tips

1. Learn to recognize the first 36 elements by symbol and name. The periodic table is overflowing with great information, but if you can’t find the element in question, you’ll have a much harder time accessing that information.

2. Master dimensional analysis. Put the unit you want to change “out of” on the bottom of your conversion factor. Put the unit you want to change “to” on the top of the conversion factor. Repeat as necessary until you reach the desired unit. Multiply across

Green Elephant Arts Enrichment by April Hohne

The Green Elephant Arts Enrichment program began in 2014 by April Hohne and Rachael Fuller. Our arts program currently serves pre-school and homeschool students in Nashville and surrounding counties. The curriculum includes visual art and general music instruction, giving students the foundation to continue their studies further as they get older.

Our homeschool class currently takes place every Thursday

Spanky's Driving Academy by Chris Medina

Hey Home School Families!

Spanky's Driving Academy is an awesome Driver's Ed program that helps to raise up teens to be safe and confident drivers. We have classes throughout the year on Saturdays and holiday breaks. We have done special private classes for Home Schoolers in the past and have had a blast doing it! 

Here is what one parent said about our program:

"I want to personally thank you for all you did with and for our kids in your driving program. Reid is the kind of kid who keeps his cards very close to the vest but he shared some of the things he learned during

How Archery Benefits Homeschoolers by Theresa Greer

As a home school mom, I have seen all the benefits of archery for my children. Archery is a great sport for all ages and can be done year round. Students not only learn how to shoot a bow safely, but also learn patience, focus, coordination, balance, and self confidence.

To participate in this sport you will need

Sanctuary Medical Care and Consulting ~ Dr. Eric Potter

Biblical Economics of Healthcare
by Dr. Eric Potter

Sanctuary Medical Care and Consulting offers hope through Biblically Wholistic Direct Pay Care. The primary practical goal of Sanctuary Medical is to apply Biblically Wholistic care to each patient it encounters. This means taking sufficient time to assess and address not only the physical aspects of illness, but also the spiritual, emotional, and relational aspects of the illness as well.  By doing so,

Rest, My Warfare by Lauren Brandenburg

I was overwhelmed, under prepared, in need of a break, and about to lose a battle that I didn’t even know I was fighting. I had come to the point where the components of my life that I once enjoyed were at war with one another making me mentally and physically ill—top that off with my daughter’s September 11^th diagnoses of a brain tumor—and it was no wonder my survival mode was shutting down.

Fifteen days after the successful removal of the mass, we were home and back to normal . . . no kidding! Except for what we like to call her unfortunate haircut, it was as if nothing had happened. I homeschooled, I wrote, I cleaned, and I cooked, but I couldn’t focus. My body felt like

New Biztown Class Begins Soon by Cherie Hammers

I am teaching a class in my home that you might want your child to participate in. This class is called Biztown and it is offered through Junior Achievement in Nashville. In short, this is a class for 4^th thru 8^th graders and is about business economics. We learn about the flow of an economy, banking (including checkbook skills), learning to interview for a job and other job-related skills, creating a business plan, creating a prototype for a business, appropriate skills for the job environment and much more. Everything they learn in class will be used during our field trip in a simulated town at the Junior Achievement facility in Nashville. Junior Achievement will assign to us certain businesses in the town and the children will apply and interview for jobs within those businesses.

A-Game Sportsplex Now Offers Homeschool P.E. by Daniel Kendrick

Hi, my name is Daniel Kendrick, and I am the Operations Director at A-Game Sportsplex in Cool Springs. I also happen to be a product of homeschooling! I was homeschooled until 6^th grade, at which point I attended Franklin Classical School until graduation from high school. I am a huge proponent of homeschooling and completely support and believe in this educational option.

Keely asked me to share a little bit about A-Game, so I would like to focus on a new program that we just started for homeschoolers

Making Math Make Sense by Yinka Olopade

If your child is struggling in math or if you and your child are frustrated because he or she 'just doesn't get it,' let Mathnasium Brentwood assist you. If your child is exceptional and their current grade level work is not challenging enough for them or if they are at a level that you, as a parent and home school teacher, feel ill-equipped to teach thoroughly, don't fret! By using an assessment based program, we can work with students that need to catch up, stay on level, or move forward with more challenging work.

Mathnasium is a national franchise that offers so much more than traditional tutoring, but Mathnasium Brentwood does also offer traditional tutoring services as well. Mathnasium is a learning center for students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade who

How I Wrote a Book and Other Sundry Tales by Kristen Kindoll

It was a dark and spooky night; the lighting flashed and thunder boomed, jarring me awake. I rose with a clatter from an odd dream, where a black raven tapped his beak upon the keys, typing one phrase repeatedly: nevermore, nevermore.

Swinging my legs and body away from my slumbering inclinations, my feet knocked against an ancient typewriter. A sheet of paper flapped, and then fell against the roller. I yanked the note free, discovering a yarn full of minor characters who wander through a subplot prologue. It gave me pause, so I sat in a classic lotus position, a moment of clarity within my meditation: writing a novel doesn’t entail overused clichés, but a vast amount of