The Layers of Learning Podcast with Karen and Michelle is here to help you get your whole family learning together in your homeschool. We are the sisters behind Layers of Learning. We love getting together to chat about homeschooling and this podcast is just a series of our chats. We’re inviting you to listen in on our conversations.

We both have big families, but we teach almost all of our school subjects to everyone at once, and we want to help you find the joy in that too, so we talk a lot about family homeschooling. To see all of our episodes, visit our Layers of Learning Podcast Page. Join us as we explore how to have a happy, hands-on, family-style homeschool.

In Episode 21, Taking Part in the Great Conversation, Michelle and Karen discuss how to incorporate the Great Books into your life, your family, and your homeschool. The Great Books are the classics – those books that have universal themes and prompt important conversations. Although they may seem intimidating, the sisters break down how to approach the classics in ways that will have them add meaning, not menace, to your life.

If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of reading classic literature, listen in. We will teach you how to truly begin to take part in the great conversation of mankind – reading the important thoughts and ideas of others and then adding your own insights and opinions through discussion and writing. Reading, discussing, and writing are the keys. Karen and Michelle will walk you through what that process can look like in real life, with kids of all ages. This episode will help you see how the classics can have a place in your homeschool and transform the dynamic in your homeschool from a teacher-learner relationship to a true learning partnership.

• How we build our knowledge on the shoulders of others
  
  
• What kinds of books qualify as “classics” and why you should read them and start your own list of books that are classic to you – full of big ideas and worth discussing and re-reading
  
  
• Practical ways for understanding and learning from the books you read
  
  
• Taking notes in books or writing in a book journal
  
  
• Discussing literature in ways that even your little ones can take part in
  
  
• The value of novels and stories and how to glean meaning from those
  
  
• Keeping a reading log
  
  
• Introducing essays and reading responses in high school
  
  
• What this process looks like in real life, in your home, with your kids
  
  
• How to facilitate discussions and get your kids talking using the Socratic method with ease – starting with surface questions, progressing to deeper questions, and then connecting those ideas with your life and ideas
  
  
• How taking part in the Great Conversation will change you
  

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