Brave Writer

Julie Bogart and Melissa Wiley
  • 4.8 (903)
  • Education
  • Semiweekly

The Brave Writer podcast is a big juicy conversation about how to bring learning to life for your kids! Julie Bogart and guests talk about how parents and children are partners in the learning adventure, especially when approaching the daunting task of writing. Brave Writer appeals to homeschoolers, educators, and parents who want more out of "school" than merely passing tests. Visit us at http://bravewriter.com and follow along at the blog for show notes: http://blog.bravewriter.com

  1. 2d ago

    363. Homeschooling and Content Creation

    Is sharing your homeschool online helping your family, or changing the experience you're trying to capture? From handwritten newsletters to Instagram reels, homeschoolers have always looked for connection, inspiration, and practical advice. But what happens when sharing ideas becomes creating content for an audience? We explore the benefits and hidden costs of homeschooling on social media, including the pressure children may feel to perform, the temptation to compare our homes to picture-perfect feeds, and the challenge of staying present. How can we enjoy the best of online communities without losing ourselves in it? Join us as we rethink what deserves to be shared and what deserves to stay private. Resources: Explore the Growing Without Schooling archivesRegistration is open now for Scriptwriting and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionFind our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  2. Oct 21

    362. Susan Wise Bauer and The Great Shadow

    What if the way we think about sickness has been shaping our lives for thousands of years? Historian and author Susan Wise Bauer joins us to discuss her new book, The Great Shadow, and the surprising ways illness has influenced everything from religion and medicine to consumer culture and politics. We explore why ancient beliefs about sickness persist, how historical pandemics mirror our experience with COVID-19, and why we so often associate good health with personal virtue. Susan also shares how understanding history can help us question our assumptions, navigate medical decisions, and approach illness with greater compassion. Join us for a fascinating look at the history we carry into the present! Resources: Connect with Susan at ​​susanwisebauer.com, welltrainedmind.com, and on Instagram @@susanwisebauer Check out her podcast and SubstackHere’s the article Susan mentioned: “What I Got Wrong as as New Pediatrician Talking to Parents” (gift link)Find Susan’s new book, The Great Shadow, in the Brave Writer Book ShopRegistration is open now for Movie Discussion Club: Aquatic Adventures and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  3. Oct 14

    361. Growing Wild With Ainsley Arment

    What if the best thing we can give our kids isn’t a perfectly planned education, but a childhood that leaves room for wonder? We’re joined by Wild + Free founder Ainsley Arment to talk about her new picture book, Grow Wild, My Child, and the philosophy behind a childhood rooted in nature, curiosity, story, and play. We explore Ainsley’s unexpected path to homeschooling, the origins of Wild + Free, and why wonder and rigor don’t have to compete. We also dig into screens, AI, child-led learning, family culture, and the joy of following “contagious obsessions” wherever they lead. Join us for a refreshing reminder that learning doesn’t need a worksheet to count. Resources: Connect with Ainsley on Instagram@wildandfree.co and at Wild + FreeFind her new picture book, Grow Wild My Child, in the Brave Writer Book ShopRegistration is open now for Building Brave Writers: Experience and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  4. Oct 7

    360. Your Weekly Schedule Designed for You!

    What if the thing standing between us and a satisfying homeschool rhythm isn’t the curriculum, but our resistance to sitting down and making a plan? We’re looking at how attention, boredom, confusion, and even our phones shape the way we approach learning. Then we get practical, building a flexible monthly rhythm around read-alouds, Poetry Teatime, copywork, dictation, freewriting, nature study, and meaningful writing projects. The goal isn’t a rigid schedule or endless workbook pages. It’s enough preparation to help learning feel alive, responsive, and sustainable. Join us and discover how a little scaffolding can create more freedom in your homeschool. Resources: Click here to download a sample monthly plan! Registration is open now for Brave Writer 101: Guided Writing Process and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionFind our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World.Find community at the Brave Learner HomeLearn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  5. Sep 30

    359. The Rights of a Homeschooling Mom

    What rights do we forget we have when homeschooling becomes an all-consuming family project? Staying home to educate our kids can be meaningful, joyful work, but it is still work. We deserve a voice in family finances, time to maintain employable skills, space for lesson preparation, personal interests, exercise, rest, and a say in the educational decisions we spend our days carrying out. We also get to change our minds. Homeschooling does not require signing away the rest of our adulthood. We’re talking about financial agency, shared household labor, professional development, supportive partnerships, and why caring for our own future belongs inside the homeschool plan too. Listen in, then ask yourself: what would change if you treated homeschooling like the real career it is? Resources: Here’s our episode on homeschooling as a working parentRegistration is open now for Building Brave Writers: Description and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionFind our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  6. Sep 23

    358. Don’t Forget to Watch Movies!

    What if movie day isn’t a break from learning, but one of the ways we build a rich education? Movies give our kids stories, language, history, cultural references, and characters they can return to again and again. We talk about why rewatching counts, how film can make Shakespeare and Jane Austen more accessible, and what happens when favorite lines become family lore. We also explore modern adaptations, film clubs, fandom, and the joy of recognizing an old story in a new form. So dim the lights, grab the popcorn, and give yourself permission to count the movie. Then tell us what your family is watching! Resources: Here’s the Andrew Scott performance of the “To be or not to be” soliloquy that Melissa was raving about!Registration is open now for Essay Prep: Reading the Essay and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionFind Shakespeare Stories by Leon Garfield (not Garfield the Cat) and our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  7. Sep 16

    357. Picture Books and the Public Library

    What if one of the best tools in your homeschool is already free? We’re celebrating the library as a place where curiosity gets to roam and the default answer can be “yes.” We explore how browsing the stacks creates discoveries no search bar can replicate, why learning the Dewey Decimal System can empower kids, and how a regular library rhythm can enrich your homeschool. Then we make the case for picture books at every age. From visual literacy and sophisticated vocabulary to science, art, emotional insight, and family traditions, these books offer far more than beginning reading practice. Grab your library card and come rediscover the stacks with us! Resources: We love the Santa Clarita Public Library’s Dewey Decimal cheat sheet (customized for kid interests!)—a perfect starting point for kids to make a bookmark or bingo card. Find Melissa’s Inch and Roly books, Chris Barton’s The Day-Glo Brothers, Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon, and many other Brave Writer favorites in the Brave Writer Book ShopIf you’d like to spend your school year celebrating the riches of picture books, be sure to take a look at Brave Writer’s Quill collections! These theme-based guides offer reading, writing, and math activities for ages 5-7, using picture books as portals for joyful learning.Registration is open now for Middle School Writing: Nonfiction Projects and many other Brave Writer classes!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

  8. Sep 9

    356. Parenting Strategies or Teaching Tactics

    What if the missing ingredient in your homeschool isn’t a better curriculum, but a bigger toolkit for teaching? When kids resist a lesson, it’s easy to reach for familiar parenting strategies: consequences, bargaining, reminders, and demands for cooperation. But learning asks something different of us. We need teaching tactics that spark curiosity, invite collaboration, leave room for contemplation, and celebrate real growth. We explore playful, practical ways to make math, history, writing, and other subjects more meaningful, while helping our kids develop genuine ownership of what they learn. Tune in and discover how to trade “Come on, you guys!” for richer learning experiences. Resources: Registration is open now for Middle School Writing: Nonfiction Projects and many other Brave Writer classes!Interested in helping the Library of Congress transcribe old documents? Sign up here!Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attentionFind Jim Weiss’s Greek Myths CD along with our favorite readalouds and nonfiction in the Brave Writer Book ShopVisit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!) Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates WritingMelissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World. Find community at the Brave Learner Home Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programsSubscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of EnthusiasmsSign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to media@bravewriter.com Connect with Julie: Instagram: @juliebravewriterThreads: @juliebravewriterBluesky: @bravewriter.comFacebook: facebook.com/bravewriter Connect with Melissa: Website: melissawiley.comSubstack: melissawiley.substack.comInstagram: @melissawileybooksBluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social Produced by NOVA

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4.8
out of 5
903 Ratings

About

The Brave Writer podcast is a big juicy conversation about how to bring learning to life for your kids! Julie Bogart and guests talk about how parents and children are partners in the learning adventure, especially when approaching the daunting task of writing. Brave Writer appeals to homeschoolers, educators, and parents who want more out of "school" than merely passing tests. Visit us at http://bravewriter.com and follow along at the blog for show notes: http://blog.bravewriter.com

Information

  • Creator
    Julie Bogart and Melissa Wiley
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    369
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 627299
  • Show Website
    Brave Writer

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