Motivation through Winter
By the Alveary Team
February often calls for patience. The days can feel quiet and long, and motivation may begin to fade for both teachers and students. Rather than pushing forward on empty, this can be a good time to pause and draw fresh encouragement for the days ahead. Here are a few simple ways to spark new life in your homeschool:
- Make small changes. Try swapping morning lessons for afternoon ones once a week, moving read-alouds to the couch with a fun treat, or beginning the day with poetry instead of math.
- Sprinkle beauty throughout the day. Candles at breakfast, music during copywork, or cozying up outside for nature study.
- Laugh on purpose. Read something humorous aloud or share family stories. This is also your permission to have a lighter day simply because it’s needed.
Observe what is going well. Pause to notice where your children are engaged and growing, and take time to celebrate those wins.
You may also find that you need motivation and encouragement as an educator. Winter can be a meaningful season to tend to your own growth and development. Here are a few ways to make use of the resources already available through your Alveary membership:
- Revisit your “why.” Read a favorite Charlotte Mason passage, re-read your homeschool mission statement, or return to your Reflective Practice Plan for motivation.
- Spend time with the Foundations courses. Relational Methods and Relational Ideas are housed under Resources on our website. Work through them in order or jump to what speaks to you most right now.
- Explore additional support. Browse curated Parents’ Review articles or revisit past Office Hours videos on our website here, filter by topic to find just what you need.
Looking ahead can also bring fresh energy. Registration for the 2026–27 school year is now open, and renewing early gives you time to explore the booklists, which is sure to get you excited!
What helps you stay motivated during the winter months? We’d love to hear, share your thoughts in the Hive.
Membership Spotlight: Haven’t renewed yet? You might be missing our newest planning tool. See how simple it is to customize your book and course list.
Notes:
- Bingo Challenge: Are you playing along? We’ve already had our first Bingo and our first Blackout—congratulations to Megan, our first Blackout winner! A tote is headed her way, and don’t forget, you could still win a 2026 conference ticket.
- 2026 CMI Conference: In a distracted age, we are gathering to slow down, pay attention, and be faithfully present. Join us July 23–25, 2026, in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Learn more here!
- Books: 2026/27 members, you may have noticed some Canadian titles seem harder to find this year. Details are coming soon about a convenient purchasing option, so stay tuned!
- Office Hours: Here is the recording from this week’s Office Hours discussing the 2026/27 booklist!
- Compassion Grant: Struggling with curriculum costs? Applicants who receive an HSLDA Compassion Grant can purchase Alveary membership at a greatly reduced price or receive a discount on individual subjects in our store.
- In the Company of Ideas: Join us over in the Hive during the month of February as we discuss Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church. We plan to have a recorded discussion with the author toward the end of the month so submit any questions you have for the author!
- High School Chemistry: Administration of the HS Chemistry citizen science project has changed. Moving forward, students will enter their data at cleanwaterhub.org. Therefore, we recommend focusing on the test for nitrates using strips, such as Hach or HST. Your Quick Links will be updated with these resources and the Alveary Chemistry kit from HST will include these nitrate test strips moving forward.
