http://www.fierce.little.learners/

Fierce Little Learners, Glade Spring, VA (2025)

05/12/2023

Cheers to YOU being exactly who God made you to be. 🖤

05/04/2023

The reality of homeschooling may be a lot different than the picture you have in your head.

Yes, it includes math practice and grammar lessons. But you’d probably be surprised just how few hours each day are actually needed for traditional schoolwork.

I was a public school teacher, so I speak from experience when I say that there is A LOT of time spent on classroom management, transitions, and sooo much testing prep/review. And those hours in the school day really add up.

At home, we spend part of the day learning together, but I also spend one-on-one time with each “student”. I’m sometimes still astonished at just how much we can accomplish during that time.

A tailor-made education is beautiful for obvious reasons, but it’s also very time-efficient. So we spend our freed-up hours learning in unconventional ways— documentaries, field tripping, socializing at the park, library visits, etc.

Lately we’ve used that extra time for:

✨ picnic read aloud parties

✨field trips to the local fish hatchery, Bays Mt. planetarium and park, Bristol Caverns, and Hands On Science & Discovery Center

✨ hanging with friends at the playground

✨ lessons with our DPL co-op

✨ nature hikes with our Wild & Free group

✨ hundreds of hours of free play and outdoor adventuring

And in addition to ALL that, we have our evening extracurriculars— baseball, ballet, guitar, and ninja classes.

Like I said, that homeschooling life really might just surprise you.

03/21/2023

Even when I’m overstimulated and contemplating the school bus, I KNOW what a privilege it is to be able to have this time with them. 💗

I will never look back and wish I’d spent less time with my kids. I just wish they’d be a little quieter sometimes 🤣

03/03/2023

We are learning about King George III today. We’ve read lots of books and had some really great discussion.

My oldest commented on how if people had known more about mental illness back then, history may have unfolded very differently. I mean if he hadn’t been sick, would the United States exist?! 🤯 I love their big questions. We were left with much to ponder.

And OBVIOUSLY, we ended the lesson with his songs from Hamilton. ⭐️🇺🇸

Da-da-da, dat-da, dat, da-da-da, da-ya-da…

03/02/2023

A super special, little girl gave this to me at our last session. Words can’t describe how much I love working with these kiddos.

Tutoring helps to build confidence and self esteem, and as an experienced educator, I’m able to target areas that need a little extra love. And an added bonus…we have great fun together!

This semester is currently full, but I will open booking for summer spots at the end of the month. 💗

02/22/2023

Apparently it’s a good morning for “mud painting” the old shed.

The flexibility of homeschooling is one of my favorite perks.

At the beginning of the week, I always look at the weather before lesson planning. Maybe I should call what we do “climate schooling” because if its excessively rainy or super low temps, I know it’s a time to fill as many hours as I’m able with more traditionally schooly things.

But on unusually warm days like today (I mean is it even February?!), we wrap up all table work and reading by 11 AM, so we can move school outdoors. Read alouds on blankets, nature study, bird watching, physical activity—yes please!

Mud painting definitely counts for art class, right?

Headed to the park for PE next (don’t worry we will have music class on the way 🤣🎶)

02/16/2023

Because home is the nicest word there is. ❤️

02/16/2023

Did you know reef lobsters p*e out of “thar” faces?!

I sure didn’t until today. Now, I feel like the kids and I are kinda-sorta experts on the urination habits of these weird crustaceans. Not sure I want to be, but it is what it is 🤣

I call what happens at our dining room table most mornings, sporadic science.

I will plan unit studies throughout the year, but the best learning is what happens in these sporadic bursts (like today).

We end our Breakfast and Books selection with Wonders of Nature each morning by picking a random number and reading from that particular page.

Today was reef lobsters. We read and discuss and then typically go down a rabbit hole of watching dozens of YouTube videos on the subject (so yes, we did watch lobsters battle with p*e today).

Then we journal or draw about what we’ve learned. And often times, this will spill over to the next few days, and we end up at the library searching for more books on the subject.

Last week, tardigrades (aka: water bears/ moss piglets) was the hot topic for at least 4 days.

We have so much fun with this and because their interest (or sometimes lack thereof) is guiding the process, a lot of really good stuff happens.

Even if you don’t homeschool, a good book can work for sporadic science! It will lead to lots of learning and even more laughs 👩‍🔬🦞🚽🤣

02/08/2023

No matter whether you are homeschoolers, public schoolers, private schoolers, or unschoolers… you can make space in all of it to foster wonder and curiosity. You CAN reclaim your baby’s one, precious childhood💙

If you’re interested in scheduling a consult to learn more about how you can support your fierce little learner and create an atmosphere for beautiful growth, please message me. I’d love to help.

02/02/2023

We started our morning with watching Phil. Little critter didn’t disappoint! ❄️❄️❄️

Then we had a guided art lesson with . I particularly loved their monikers🤣

And we can’t have homeschool on any holiday without a Gail Gibbons book. Our collection keeps growing.
She’s just the best.

And also, thank you and for your wonderful Groundhog Day resources! There’s rarely a day we don’t utilize your channels.

Happy Groundhog Day from my fierce little learners and me. ☃️

02/01/2023

Our family started the 1,000 Book Challenge four years ago. Three books a day. And for our family, it has been easy to meet that goal year after year because we. love. books. soooo. much.

I started following a while back, but this is the first year we’ve participated in their challenge. Three hours outside a day seems like a much bigger stretch than three books a day for us. And it is.

Although I’m intentional about getting outside every day for at least a few minutes, I am still NOT an outdoorsy gal (despite how hard I’ve tried). I love nature, but also I don’t want that bug to touch me 🤷‍♀️

I really don’t like to fail, so I was hesitant to actually “join”. I am astonished how much we made it outside in January (to be fair, it has been mild).

Our little chart has really motivated us. Some days, we’ve only been out 20 minutes. Other days, 5+ hours.

I know how physically and mentally important it is for all of us, and I can’t wait to see how this challenge pushes us this year.

FEBRUARY 1 — 51 hours 🍃☀️🎉🥳

01/30/2023

We use playing cards in some way or another almost every single day in our homeschool. Today alone, my preschooler sorted by numbers and then by color. My big kids played War a couple times (solid practice for greater than/ less than), and my oldest used these cards to create her own multiplication and division problems.

When work feels like play, you get a lot less resistance. ♠️♥️♣️♦️

01/30/2023

If your child is struggling in a core subject, or you just want to give them a little extra support or enrichment, please consider tutoring.

Private tutoring provides an intimate learning environment which is tailored to a child’s very specific needs and strengths. The research is clear about the efficacy of one-on-one instruction, and the data shows it WORKS. Personalized tutoring helps build self-confidence, identify areas of weakness, and ultimately, aids in the mastery of skills.

I hold my Masters in Education and have over 18 years experience teaching in a variety of academic settings. I am passionate about early education and am excited to be able to work with more children in our area.

At this time, these slots are only open for preschool and elementary students.

I currently have 3 more evening tutoring spots available for Abingdon. And 2 more for Saturdays in Bristol.

1 hour of individualized instruction: $50
30 minutes: $25

Message me or email at summerwestwoodward@gmail.com to claim your spot today!

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And if private tutoring isn’t in your budget right now but you would like to learn how to support your student at home, please reach out for an educational consultation where I can give you the tools you need to best support them.

01/26/2023

If you have a fierce little learner of your own, and you want to know how to cultivate a culture of learning that is both effective and beautiful in your own home, please message me today. I’d love to help. ❤️

01/23/2023

Play matters. It really, REALLY matters.

fiercelittlelearners.com

01/23/2023

Take it back with me, friends. ❤️

Follow along at fiercelittlelearners.com
Insta: fierce_little_learners

01/20/2023

PLEASE SHARE! ❤️🌈📝📚🤓🥰

Is your kid a public-schooler thriving in other subjects, but they absolutely hate to read?

Is your child a preschooler or toddler, and you want to make sure they have a solid foundation for becoming a fierce little learner?

Is your elementary student struggling with a particular subject or concept, and you want to get them the individualized help they need?

Are you wanting to provide extra enrichment for your kiddo but are overwhelmed by ALL the resources?

Or are you considering homeschooling but have no idea where on Earth to even begin?

I’ve got you covered with ALL of this and more!

ONE HOUR PHONE CONSULTATIONS $50
(this includes an after visit summary with my suggestions and resources linked)

Limited spots for private tutoring and academic assessments (for PreK-5) also available!

Please email me to schedule your consultation today:
summerwestwoodward@gmail.com
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For those who don’t know me personally, I am a former public school teacher turned unexpected homeschooler, and after a battle with cancer, I am thrilled to have a clean bill of health and finally be able to resume my role as an academic coach.

I hold a Masters in Education and have 18 years of experience working with children ages 0-12 in an array of academic settings.

As an educational consultant, I have a variety of services available, including no-pressure consultations which allow me to learn more about how I can best help your kiddo. You don’t need to be local to take advantage of this service as virtual options are available.

I’m here to help you solve whatever problem you or your fierce little learner may be facing! Give me a shout!

01/19/2023

Hey y’all! Welcome to Fierce Little Learners. I’m Summer! ❤️🌈☀️

For those who don’t know me personally, I am a former public school teacher turned unexpected homeschooler, and after a battle with cancer, I am thrilled to have a clean bill of health and finally be able to resume my role as an academic coach.

I hold a Masters in Education and have 18 years of experience working with children ages 0-12 in an array of academic settings.

As an educational consultant, I have a variety of services available, including no-pressure consultations which allow me to learn about your child, and together we will find a path to best support your family. You don’t need to be local to take advantage of this service as virtual options are available.

I’m here to help you solve whatever problem you or your fierce little learner may be facing! Give me a shout at:
summerwestwoodward@gmail.com

www.fiercelittlelearners.com

Fierce Little Learners

05/12/2023

05/04/2023

03/21/2023

03/03/2023

03/02/2023

02/22/2023

02/16/2023

02/16/2023

02/08/2023

02/02/2023

02/01/2023

01/30/2023

01/30/2023

01/26/2023

01/23/2023

01/23/2023

01/20/2023

01/19/2023

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