…in homeschool and school
Welcome to my goal-setting page! On this page, you will find supporting materials for my book, Homeschool with Confidence: A Goal-Setting Guide for Teens. I wrote this book originally with a focus on homeschoolers. However, I have found through hearing from readers and in my classes that the approach is helpful for any teen who wants to take ownership of their education—in homeschool or school.
Join my email list to find out about parent and teen workshops, in person and online.
On this page:
- Purchase Homeschool with Confidence [Amazon.com] [Bookshop.org]
- My goal-setting classes
- Student downloads and links
- Recommended books for teens
- Parent downloads and links
Purchase Homeschool with Confidence
Homeschool with Confidence is available from Amazon.com and Bookshop.org.
- Purchase Homeschool with Confidence in paperback from Amazon.com (ISBN 978-0966145298)
- Purchase Homeschool with Confidence in paperback from Bookshop.org
- If you have read my book, please write a review on Amazon.com!
- If you have read my book, please write a review on Goodreads!
My goal-setting classes:
I teach online classes for teens and parents at Athena’s Advanced Academy.
- Search Athena’s for information about my online goal-setting course for 13 and over [view promo]
- If I don’t have a goal-setting course currently scheduled, please email me about forming one.
- Join my email list for notifications about adult workshops.
Student downloads and links:
Introduction:
Chapter 1:
- My video introduction for Chapter 1
- Questionnaires:
NOTE TO CURRENT STUDENTS: Do not use this PDF. Please use the version in our classroom.
NOTE TO ALL STUDENTS: I have updated this questionnaire. If you are using my book independently, click here to download the current one.
ORIGINAL, OUDATED Goal-Setting Questionnaire—pretty version (PDF) - Reading from my KidsLearn blog: What is meaningful reflection and why do we do it?
- Video: If you’ve never failed, you’ve never lived
Chapter 2:
- My video introduction for Chapter 2
- Reading from KidsHealth: 5 Ways to (Respectfully) Disagree
- More about memory: Why Does Walking Through Doorways Make us Forget?
- Reading from KidsHealth: 5 Ways to Shake Shyness
- Reading from my blog: Learn Like a Baby
- Video: Tavi Gevinson: Still Figuring it out
- Reading from the Creativity Post: Overcome Procrastination
Chapter 3:
- My video introduction for Chapter 3
- Video: Jane Goodall on Instinct
- Video: How Miscommunication Happens
- Video: The Benefits of a Good Night’s Sleep
- Reading from KidsHealth: The Power of Positive Emotions
- Reading from my blog: Organizing your space
- Video: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator (Student Favorite!)
- Video: Getting Stuck in the Negative (and How to Get Unstuck)
Chapter 4:
- My video introduction for Chapter 4
- Video: True Success
- Video: Why do we make irrational decisions?
- Reading: The 7 Secrets of Motivating Teenagers (Do you agree with this? Why or why not? Hint: I don’t agree with all of it!)
- Video: Working backward to solve problems
- Video: Tara Suri & Niha Jain: Learning to Fail
Chapter 5:
- My video introduction for Chapter 5
- Video: How stress affects your body
- Video: How stress affects your brain
- Video: 3 Tips to Boost Your Confidence
- Reading from my blog: What happens when you get stressed out?
- Reading from KidsHealth: 5 Ways to Prevent Stress Buildup
- Video: My philosophy for a happy life | Sam Berns
Chapter 6:
- My video introduction for Chapter 6
- From my KidsLearn blog: Reframing Your Way Through Hard Times
- Video from the Vlog Brothers: What to do with your life (Note: there is some mild profanity in this video, so skip it if your parent objects!)
- Reading from KidsHealth: Rejection and How to Handle It
- Reading from KidsHealth: Getting Past Obstacles
- Video: Insight Into the Teenage Brain
- Video: Questions Every Teenager Needs to Be Asked
Recommended books for teens:
- Why are you still sending your kids to school? by Blake Boles
- Smart Teens’ Guide to Living with Intensity: How to Get More Out of Life and Learning by Lisa Rivero
- From Worrier to Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Fears by Daniel Peters
- Perfectionism: What’s Bad About Being Too Good by Miriam Adderholdt
- Teen Success: Ideas to Move Your Mind by Beatrice J. Elye
- College Without High School: A Teenager’s Guide to Skipping High School and Going to College by Blake Boles
- Teen books from Free Spirit Publishing explore all sorts of issues and concerns you might have
Parent downloads and links:
Downloads and video:
- Parent Guide, Part 1, Introduction
- Parent Guide, Part 2, Chapter-by-Chapter Guide
- My Goal-Setting video for parents
On my blog:
- The Value of Goal-Setting
- Trust the Transfer
- Support Your Teen With Goal-Setting
- Goal-Setting Parent Guide
- 6 Takeaways from Research on Teen Brain Development
- Half-empty nest syndrome
Recommended books:
- Living with Intensity by Daniels/Piechowski
- Raising Human Beings by Ross Greene
- The Explosive Child by Ross Greene
- Smart but Scattered Teens: The “Executive Skills” Program for Helping Teens Reach Their Potential by Richard Guare, Peg Dawson and Colin Guare (recommended with reservations – I like the information presented in the first part of the book but I’m not a huge fan of reward/punishment systems)
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- A Mind for Numbers by Barbara Oakley (note: this is a great book to read about learning, perhaps also one to recommend to your teen)
Articles:
- How Stuff Works: The Teenage Brain
- How to ruin your relationship with your teenager
- For Teens Knee-Deep In Negativity, Reframing Thoughts Can Help
- Why Teachers Should Help Students Learn Effective Study Strategies
- Destination Success: Raising a Self-Actualized Adult not a Straight “A” Student
- How To Get Kids To Pay Attention
- Why Teens Should Understand Their Own Brains (And Why Their Teachers Should, Too!)
- Does your teen have sleep issues? I’d suggest reading this article with your teen rather than instituting top-down rules without their buy-in: How Parents Can Help Improve the Quality of a Teen’s Sleep
- At Your Wits’ End With A Screen-Obsessed Kid? Read This is a great article that takes a balanced view of screen use. It offers advice at the end that I fully support.