Everyday Educator

What does your first year of homeschooling look like next to your very last one? In this episode of Everyday Educator, host Delise sits down with Kelli Wilt — former public school teacher, Challenge 4 director, and homeschool mom finishing her family's 18-year journey — as one mom celebrates her son's very first day of Classical Conversations and the other marks her daughter's last first day of community.
Kelli shares how one throwaway line in a friend's Christmas newsletter led to an information meeting, to Leigh Bortins' The Core, and to a community she stayed in for reasons much bigger than curriculum. Delise, a classically educated homeschool graduate, explains why watching CC teach her younger brother how to think convinced her to enroll her own boys. Then they get practical about preparing for the homeschool year: Kelli's week-one bingo board for her Challenge 4 class (including thank-you notes to five people who shaped their faith), giving away books at the end of the cycle, freezer meals, and realistic expectations for laundry and chores; Delise's handwritten morning plan with prayer and Scripture at the top, time limits as guardrails, testing rooms to find where your child learns best, and a prepped cart beside the school table. Both name the traps to avoid — comparison, "a quiet thief," and hurrying past moments like a surprise caterpillar.
Whether you're on your first lap or your final one, you'll walk away reminded that your homeschool doesn't have to look like anyone else's to be a good one — your calling is faithfulness, not control. Grab a tissue, and share this one with a mom who needs some wind in her sails. 
 
This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Your homeschool community can be part of this global mission by packing gift-filled shoeboxes full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items that are sent to children in over 100 countries. Through this project, Samaritan's Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations. Make Operation Christmas Child part of your school year leading up to National Collection Week November 16-23.
Learn more about Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child

Ever felt a little nervous at the thought of teaching Latin? You're not alone — and this episode might just change your mind. In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Lisa Bailey sits down with Kathy Donegia, longtime Challenge tutor and lead curriculum developer for Classical Conversations' brand-new Common Latin program, launching for Challenge A, B, and I in 2027 (with Challenge II, III, and IV following in the years after).
Kathy shares her own journey from a two-year high school Latin student to a 15-year CC Latin tutor, and walks through what makes Common Latin different: six manageable weekly tasks, a focus on reading the Latin Vulgate to deepen understanding of familiar Scripture passages, and a design built around three purposes — becoming lovers of language, growing as classical linguists, and building community around shared study. Best of all, Kathy is clear: parents don't need to already know Latin. They just need to read the lesson a little ahead of their student and learn together.
Whether Latin has scared you off in the past or you're just looking forward to what's next for your homeschool, this conversation will leave you encouraged — and maybe even excited — to gather your family around the table and dig in.
 
This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Your homeschool community can be part of this global mission by packing gift-filled shoeboxes full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items that are sent to children in over 100 countries. Through this project, Samaritan's Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations. Make Operation Christmas Child part of your school year leading up to National Collection Week November 16-23.
Learn more about Samaritan's Purse - Operation Christmas Child

Feeling the holiday pressure creep in before the leaves even turn? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Delise Germond welcomes back author Abbey Wedgeworth (All Kinds of Weather) for an honest conversation about approaching the holidays — Halloween through Christmas and everything after — with wonder and rest instead of stress and striving.
Abbey opens up about resting in the finished work of Jesus rather than chasing the "perfect" Thanksgiving table, homemade costume, or fully-completed Advent devotional. She and Delise talk candidly about realistic expectations for your kids' ages and stages, leaning on community and resources instead of building every tradition from scratch, and how holidays can hold both grief and joy at the same time — without one canceling out the other.
You don't have to knock every holiday out of the park for your kids to remember a joyful, faith-filled childhood. Tune in for a warm, grounding conversation that will help you walk into this season with open hands.
 
🌐 Abbey Wedgeworth's website: abbeywedgeworth.com
📸 Instagram: @abbeywedgeworth
 
This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by Classical Conversations Plus Online Learning Seminars
"CC Dads" is a 6-week online seminar exploring how fathers can take an active role, whether or not they are the main homeschool teacher in their home. Facilitated by Joseph Tokar, a homeschool dad who encourages fathers to be present as leaders, supporters, and encouragers in their God-given role, this seminar walks through six sessions grounded in Scripture on encouraging mothers, teaching sons and daughters, and finding a father's place in the classical education his family is already living out.
To learn more about the CC Plus Online Learning Seminars or to begin your journey of pursuing your next season of learning, go to https://ccnetwork.app/OnlineLearningSeminars and register today.
Courses begin October 1, 2026.

Can classical education really prepare your child for a future in science, technology, engineering, or math? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Emma Bortins sits down with fellow CC moms Delise and Tunrade to answer exactly that question.
Delise — daughter of an electrical engineer and a homeschool grad herself — and Tunrade, a 14-year CC mom whose oldest just graduated as a double major in electrical engineering and philosophy, share how the humanities actually build the skills future scientists need: asking good questions, thinking clearly, and sitting with a problem instead of reaching for a shortcut. They also dig into a timely question every homeschool parent is wrestling with: is AI eroding curiosity in young learners, or can it be used well?
Whether your child is chiptune-composing on an old Game Boy or still working out how tenacity and math go together, this episode will leave you encouraged that classical conversations isn't in spite of STEM — it's exactly what STEM needs.
 
This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by the 2027 CC Family Cruise featuring the National Memory Master Competition, the National Number Knockout Competition, & the National Commencement.
The CC Family Cruise is setting sail May 2-8th, 2027, departing from Galveston, Texas, and your whole family is invited! Onboard, you can enjoy CC Signature events and exclusive perks like group dining, merchandise, events, onboard credit, and time with Leigh and Robert Bortins.
Space is filling up quickly, so visit classicalconversations.com/cruise to start your booking today!

Ever wish your kids got as excited about math as they do about game night? In this episode of the Everyday Educator podcast, host Lisa Bailey talks with Jennifer Hester and Chris Blackburn — two of the original minds behind National Number Knockout (N2K) — about how this simple dice-and-numbers game turns math facts, exponents, and order of operations into something kids actually beg to play.
Jennifer and Chris break down exactly how to play (all you need is a 1–36 grid and three dice), share where to find sample boards, and explain how the game secretly builds skills in addition, multiplication, exponents, and even fractional exponents — without a single worksheet in sight. They also point parents to the packet waiting in the CC Connected Learning Center, including a "Powers, Squares, and Cubes" cheat sheet that makes patterns click for kids of every age.
You don't need to be a math person to get your family playing tonight. Whether you're aiming for the National Championship or just want your kids to stop dreading math, this episode gives you everything you need to start reclaiming the world of numbers — together.
 
This episode of Everyday Educator is sponsored by the 2027 CC Family Cruise featuring the National Memory Master Competition, the National Number Knockout Competition, & the National Commencement.
The CC Family Cruise is setting sail May 2-8th, 2027, departing from Galveston, Texas, and your whole family is invited! Onboard, you can enjoy CC Signature events and exclusive perks like group dining, merchandise, events, onboard credit, and time with Leigh and Robert Bortins.
Space is filling up quickly, so visit classicalconversations.com/cruise to start your booking today!