



- Aids single and widowed moms with purchasing curriculum
- Covers Independent School enrollment and event costs
- Sponsors the yearly Casterline Banquet
- homeschool events and field trip opportunities
- help with homeschooling that 6-year-old
- direction for getting your high schooler ready for the next season
- or just some tips on keeping everything organized
- Subscribe to posts (over in the right-hand sidebar) so our twice-a-week blog posts come straight to your inbox
- Comment on posts if you have questions or ideas or just appreciate the topic
- Contact us here if you have suggestions for blog post topics or articles (and we're glad to receive guest article submissions for review)
1. Pray!
Ultimately, homeschooling will only be a success when God is behind it. Rachael Carman, homeschooling mother and blogger at His Sunflower, gives some ideas of specifics to pray for your homeschool year:- Guidance: “Show me your ways, Oh Lord, and teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long” (Ps 25:4 - 5, NIV).
- Vision: “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10).
- Discernment: “It is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment” (Phil. 1:9).
- Strength: “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” (Is. 40: 28 - 29).
- Patience: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).
- Grace: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
- Perseverance: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58).
2. Organize.
Abby Parnell on Homeschooling Help recommends finding an organizing system that works for you and then writing down the tasks you need to complete. Need some ideas? Check out this free organizer tool from Only Passionate Curiosity. And then plan – every single day! Even if you’re not a schedule person, writing down and prioritizing tasks cuts back on thinking “I wonder what I should do next” and frees you up to actually teach.3. Assign!
If your children are getting older, why not try letting them make their own schedules and academic goals? Not only does it help them take responsibility for their work, it’s also a great way for them to learn what life is like in the real world. I remember when my mom first showed me her new discovery: Matt Perman’s book, What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way you Get Things Done. I was a senior in high school, and for the next few weeks, my mom and I played book-thief in our eagerness to devour the book. I’ve always been an organized person, but What’s Best Next lent a new excitement to scheduling my school work and responsibilities. Check out his chapter on Unconventional Personal Productivity Practices here.4. Take a step back!
If you’re feeling like you want to quit, take heart! Heidi St. John, a veteran homeschooling mother and speaker, knows exactly what that’s like. She relates on her blog, The Busy Mom, “I’m homeschooling our children because I know what a precious, privileged opportunity it is. If you want to quit homeschooling, take a step back. … If you’ve been called, don’t quit. Please don’t quit. The finish line isn’t that far off. You can do it, and it will be worth it.”5. Tried a field trip lately?
Colorado is filled with exciting new places waiting for you to discover! From the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster to the historic Littleton Museum , I still vividly remember the exciting field trips my family took as a part of our homeschool experience. Need some ideas? HomeschoolBuyersCo-op has an expansive list of Colorado field trips. Whatever you decide to do, don’t give up! I know my own parents faced discouragement at times in their homeschooling journey, but today I’m indebted to their perseverance. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). Please note: Links are provided as a service and do not necessarily reflect the views of CHEC. [post_title] => 5 Tips for Keeping Up Your Momentum [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => 5-tips-for-keeping-up-your-momentum [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2018-08-17 13:53:33 [post_modified_gmt] => 2018-08-17 19:53:33 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://chec.org/?p=2312 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 2451 [post_author] => 8 [post_date] => 2015-11-30 15:30:28 [post_date_gmt] => 2015-11-30 22:30:28 [post_content] => Dear Friends, On Friday, November 27th, a dearly loved husband, father, church elder, and police officer, Garrett Swasey, was killed in the line of duty in Colorado Springs, CO. Garrett was a homeschool dad and some of you probably saw him and his wife Rachel walking the halls of CHEC's Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference the last several years. I was speaking this morning to a close friend of the Swasey family, and I asked them how CHEC and the homeschool community can get behind and support Rachel Swasey and her children during this time. As you might suspect, the biggest request is for prayer. This is how they asked that you pray:- Pray for comfort for Rachel and the children. Both children are very young and will need much comfort in the coming days.
- Pray that the planning for the memorial service will go smoothly. There are many people and agencies involved so pray for unity and clarity in the planning.
- Pray that the Gospel would be both clearly proclaimed and beautifully represented through these events. Pray that many will hear a clear Gospel message and that Hope Chapel (Garrett's church) will represent Christ well.
- Pray that enemies to the work of Christ will not be able to make their presence known at the funeral or in the media.
1. Focus on Spelling.
Let’s admit it. Sometimes in the bustle of trying to fit in math and science and history and government and … it can be hard to find time for spelling. And sometimes a deadline can really help, especially for homeschoolers! If you haven’t done much formal spelling up to this point, a spelling bee might be a great way to dust off those old spelling books and look at the subject in a new light.2. Study Together.
The CHEC Spelling Bee can be a family affair! Any grades up through 8th are welcome to participate. Even if the younger ones don’t catch everything, they will remember more than you might expect. Check out spellingbee.com for some ways to make studying fun.3. Compete regionally.
Winners of the CHEC Spelling Bee have the privilege of competing in the Denver Post Spelling Bee. And for the state winners, The National Scripps Spelling Bee awaits!4. Meet Other Homeschoolers.
The CHEC Spelling Bee is a positive way to connect with other homeschoolers in your area. In addition to the competition itself, consider forming a spelling study group with your local homeschool co-op or just a group of friends. Why not share this post with other local homeschoolers and get the word out?5. Have Fun!
Of course. Isn’t that what homeschooling is about anyway: cultivating a love of learning? Don’t let your kids harbor memories of dry spelling lessons. If you have to learn it, why not do it the fun way? Here at CHEC, we’ve done our best to make the Spelling Bee a fun, positive experience for all. Ready to begin? [post_title] => Spelling Bee Spotlight [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => spelling-bee-spotlight [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2015-12-08 09:44:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2015-12-08 16:44:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://chec.org/?p=2442 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 1 [filter] => raw ) [8] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 2447 [post_author] => 10 [post_date] => 2015-12-08 08:00:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2015-12-08 15:00:07 [post_content] => By guest author Kirk Smith But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18) There is no secret formula to homeschooling success. It would be nice if there were. One reason for this lack of specificity is that God will have no other gods before Him, even His own principles. This is why we are to seek God above all else. Yes, we read books. Yes, we listen to podcasts. Yes, we go to conventions. These things, however, are not an end in themselves. Instead, they are designed to point us to Jesus. When we constantly gaze upon Jesus through the reading of His Word, prayer, preaching, teaching, and meditation, several things happen. First, Jesus Christ is truth as He proclaimed in John 14:6. When we look at Him, it acts as a mirror to our lives. Unlike people’s opinion of us or even our own self-awareness, He is a perfect mirror, which accurately reveals various flaws, unbiblical perspectives and conduct that have found residence in our lives. These scars, personality idiosyncrasies, and sinful patterns in turn prompt us parents to raise our children in a certain manner. Raising our children out of our own scars can lead to future difficulties, and the negative pattern continues into the next generation. Just as with our physical imperfections, we are easily embarrassed or ashamed when these flaws come to the light. Because many have been raised with conditional love, they think because they have these shortcomings, God doesn’t love them anymore. The devil wants to blind us to the fact that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In order to survive this unmerited condemnation, our pride tries to deny or minimize the things that the Holy Spirit is trying to show us. The problem is, this doesn’t change the reality. We have these issues, and they affect how we see and act, sometimes motivating us to make mountains out of molehills or make real mountains into small molehills. The good news is that God doesn’t leave us in this place of emotional and spiritual vulnerability but rather uses this knowledge as part of the progression that leads to wholeness. Gazing upon God causes us to be supernaturally “transformed” into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. We start to see more like He sees and act more like He would have us act. Rather than having our children try to make up for our unmet needs, we give them over to God, asking Him to train them as He would. Every one of us homeschooling parents wants our children to be well adjusted. We want them to relate properly to God and others. While this is ultimately the result of God’s grace, we must understand that God will use us parents, not exclusively but predominantly, to see that this happens. This is a heavy responsibility under whose weight I have felt myself buckle at various seasons in my children’s lives. I don’t want to pass on my “junk” to my kids; therefore, it is incumbent upon me to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Fortunately, God gives us the recipe. We are simply to seek His kingdom and person first, knowing that when we do that, we will more clearly see the man in the mirror and thereby be transformed into the likeness of the Son of Man. This article was originally posted on the ICHE Blog and is shared with permission. [post_title] => The Man in the Mirror [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => the-man-in-the-mirror [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-01-18 13:31:26 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-01-18 20:31:26 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://chec.org/?p=2447 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [9] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 2511 [post_author] => 10 [post_date] => 2015-12-11 08:52:34 [post_date_gmt] => 2015-12-11 15:52:34 [post_content] => Contests can add a little spice to the everyday round of school subjects. Don’t be surprised, they might uncover an interest you didn’t even know was there! With that it mind, we’d like to share a few upcoming contests perfect for homeschool families.A Call to Pens
Patrick Henry College is sponsoring its sixth annual “A Call to Pens” short story competition for students ages 12 – 18. Students will explore a biblical theme through an original short story:- Division 1 (ages 12 -15) “Unmerited Compassion”
- Division 2 (ages 16 – 18) “Perseverance Through Failure”
- Story Submission Deadline: February 8, 2016
- More information: Contest is now closed.
HSLDA Art Contest
Ready. Set. Draw! The Home School Legal Defense Association announced the 2016 HSLDA Art Contest: Through Their Eyes. Each age division will focus on portraying what life must have looked like through the eyes of a different biblical character.- Category 1 (ages 7 – 10) Through the eyes of David or Mary, mother of Jesus
- Category 2 (ages 11 – 14) Through the eyes of Ruth or Elijah
- Category 3 (ages 15 – 19) Through the eyes of Moses or Esther
- Art Submission Deadline: February 1, 2016
- More information: Contest is now closed.
National History Bee
The National History Bee is now free for homeschoolers in the Middle School Division! This is a great opportunity for those history lovers in your family to shine. Better yet, make it a family affair and study together! After taking the Online Qualifying Exam in January, top placers will compete in the Regional Finals. Those who make it to National Finals just might be on their way to becoming the National History Bee Champion! The online exam is coming up soon!- Deadline: Take the online qualifying exam in January
- More information: Contest is now closed.
Fragile Glory Art Contest
Do you have a budding artist in your family needing some encouragement? Fragile Glory Impressions, an art studio owned by homeschool graduate Mary Sorteberg and based out of Littleton, Colorado, is sponsoring an art contest for children ages 7 – 18. They have announced this year’s theme: “Beauty in Nature.” Students are asked to take pictures of their work and submit to fragile.glory.impressions@gmail.com along with their name, age, medium, and title, and size of work.- Submission Deadline: December 31, 2015
- More information: Fragile Glory Impressions. Contest is now closed.
BONUS CONTEST: National Number Knockout
Get ready for a N2K math dash! The National Number Knockout, sponsored by HSLDA and Classical Conversations, is a fast-paced mental math competition for students ages 9–14. This year the finalist competition will be held on a Carnival Cruise to the Bahamas – all expenses paid! Better yet, the N2K champion will receive $10,000 dollars and the opportunity to nominate an educator for an additional $2,000 prize. After training for the game, students submit a Scouting Video. N2K will choose 16 high-scoring finalists from the entries.
N2K was created by 19 college-age students who wanted to challenge themselves and their communities. It’s a great opportunity to speed up your math skills with this fun, fast-paced game.
- Scouting Video Deadline: February 27, 2016
- More Information: National Number Knockout




- Aids single and widowed moms with purchasing curriculum
- Covers Independent School enrollment and event costs
- Sponsors the yearly Casterline Banquet
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A Peek Into the Casterline Banquet
“You have all poured out on our behalf and we are so grateful to God and to you all for the incredible journey this has been! Thank you so much […]
Homeschool Through High School?
Guest post by Debbie Entsminger I was determined not to do it! Trying to teach a strong-willed middle schooler pushed me to my limit, and I was resolved not to […]
Keeping the Hearts of Our Children
Guest post by Kevin Swanson Have you ever had the sinking feeling that something precious to you is slipping away? It’s the feeling you get when your wedding ring slips […]
The CHEC Blog is Here!
By Steve Craig Hello and welcome to the new CHEC blog! Our heart here at CHEC is to encourage, inspire, equip, and challenge you as you pursue God’s calling as […]
Are You the Weakest Link?
Guest Post by Barbara West Life is caught more than it is taught. I have no pithy saying or funny pun or verse to expound upon. I am not a […]
5 Tips for Keeping Up Your Momentum
By Julianna Dotten The day inevitably arrives when you feel like flushing your schedule down the toilet and starting all over. You’ve already been at it for two months now, […]
Garrett Swasey: Legacy of a Homeschool Dad
Dear Friends, On Friday, November 27th, a dearly loved husband, father, church elder, and police officer, Garrett Swasey, was killed in the line of duty in Colorado Springs, CO. Garrett was a […]
Spelling Bee Spotlight
By Julianna Dotten 1. Focus on Spelling. Let’s admit it. Sometimes in the bustle of trying to fit in math and science and history and government and … it can […]
The Man in the Mirror
By guest author Kirk Smith But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory […]
4 Upcoming Contests for Homeschoolers
Contests can add a little spice to the everyday round of school subjects. Don’t be surprised, they might uncover an interest you didn’t even know was there! With that it […]
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