Mary C. Gildersleeve

Mary C. Gildersleeve

I am the mom of 5, currently learning at home with the younger 3 -- Joe is doing great at LSU, Catie is a Junior at the parochial high school, and Thomas (8-1/2), Maggie (7-1/2) and John-Paul (5) are living, loving and learning in the Front Range of the Rockies. I've been a corporate exec, a writer and now I'm a SAHM who does LOTS of hand-knit designs on the side while keeping up with the latest and greatest of the home-educating curricula and resources. I've got a BA in Print Journalism from Gonzaga University and an MBA-Marketing from the College of William and Mary.

First Start French

First Start French from Memoria Press
Author(s): 
Danielle L. Schultz
I learned to speak French YEARS ago. I was blessed to go to a bi-lingual Catholic grammar school where French was a large part of the day. I didn't take French in high school, college or graduate school; that said, I still remember songs and rhymes and simple vocabulary learned many years ago. First Start French is a wonderful, gentle start to teaching and learning this lovely language. The author, Danielle Schultz, wrote the 36 lessons for her daughter when she couldn't find a suitable language program.

The Catholic Christmas Book of Cherished Christmas Customs

Author(s): 
Father Francis Weiser
Illustrator(s): 
Frankenberg, Robert
I love Christmas. I love all the preparing during Advent, the feasting during Christmas Day itself, and the Catholic and secular traditions surrounding the entire Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle. I love reading about Christmas and planning new traditions and dusting off old ones. I was delighted to find a republished (by Neumann Press) copy of Father Francis Weiser’s classic, The Catholic Christmas Book of Cherished Christmas Customs. Originally published in the 1950s, I can remember Mom reading snippets from this book when I was growing up.

Catholic Heritage Handwriting

Author(s): 
Nancy Nicholson
It’s often the little things that make a resource stand out from the myriad of great products out there. Maybe it’s color pictures instead of black and white; or maybe it’s the typeface used; or maybe it’s the weight of the paper. There are many reasons why I like the Catholic Heritage Handwriting series more than the many other options available for practicing writing, spelling, even grammar and punctuation.

The Tripods Attack!

Author(s): 
John McNichol
I don’t much care for science fiction books or movies. One of my brothers loved them, spending every Saturday afternoon watching movies on television, checking out every sci-fi thriller from the library and spending his hard-earned dollars to watch, and re-watch, and re-watch the first Star Wars the summer of 1978.

The Sally Series

Author(s): 
Elizabeth Coatsworth
Illustrator(s): 
Helen Sewell
The Sally Books by Elizabeth Coatsworth Away Goes Sally (pgs 117), Five Bushel Farm (pgs 142), The Fair American (pgs 134), The White Horse (pgs 168), The Wonderful Day (pgs 139) In our house, we always have at least two read-alouds going: one that I read to the kids during the day and the other in the evening that Dad reads to the kids before bed. We do this year-round, so even in the summer-time we’re doing our read-alouds.

Solanus Casey

Author(s): 
Catherine M. Odell
This November, to coincide with our American History studies, we will study American saints, blesseds and venerables. One of the venerables we will study is Fr. Solanus Casey, a Capuchin Franciscan, born in Wisconsin in 1870 and died in Detroit in 1957. One of the books we’ll use as a read-aloud during November is Solanus Casey: The Story of Father Solanus (revised) by Catherine M. Odell.

True to the Old Flag

Author(s): 
G.A. Henty
What would you say to a historical novel filled with action and adventure? What would you say to a book written with boys in mind by an author famous for his morally strong and upright heroes? What would you say to a book that gives the “other side” of the story? Well, I would say – “sounds wonderful; bring it on!” And this book, True to the Old Flag: A Tale of the American War for Independence, by G. A. Henty fulfills all these descriptions. His book is filled with action and adventure, from pre-Revolution events to post-Revolution occurrences.

Haystack Full of Needles

Author(s): 
Alice Gunther
About five years ago, I met an amazing woman: a woman with now 6 girls and one boy, a home school mom steeped in the Catholic faith, a charitable and crafty woman. I “knew” this woman only through the Internet, and yet a real friendship grew and flourished. That woman, Alice Gunther, just wrote a book as full of the Catholic faith, charity and craftiness as all her online writings. Imbued with the Holy Spirit and love of the Blessed Mother, this is a book that shares so willingly with others her own journey of family-based learning.

Catholic Heritage Curricula Lesson Plans: Third Grade

Book cover: 'Catholic Heritage Curricula Lesson Plans: Third Grade'

Do you remember third grade? I do – the field trips, the reading everything on which I could get my hands, the multiplication tables and pride when I had done all the way from zero to 12. Third grade is a marvelous year – independent learning starts and reading really takes off. Critical thinking, composition and communication skills broaden and strengthen. But, how does a home school parent ensure creating an environment that allows for these skills to grow, that encourages independence while nurturing?

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