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BLACK CULTURE, HOMESCHOOLING, TRAVEL (AND OTHER THINGS FROM MY SWEET, IMPERFECT LIFE)
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I’m Amber
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My name is Amber O’Neal Johnston, and I started this website to document and discuss the joys and trials of raising my kids to love themselves and others.
The Latest Posts
Picture Books About Refugees, Aslyum-Seekers, and Migrants
As part of my lesson plan research, I ran across several children’s books highlighting stories of people who are refugees, asylum-seekers, and...
Our Commitment to Worldschooling
Some of the most efficient and fulfilling ways to raise global citizens are humbly exposing children to meaningful world travel and teaching them to...
Handicrafts: Ideas for Homeschooling
Handicrafts, or handcrafts, are practical or decorative objects made by hand. Often pursued today simply for personal enjoyment, many handicrafts...
Worldschooling Packing List
I shared our Ultimate Packing List for International Travel With Kids five years ago before heading out for our first Worldschooling trip. We still...
Reading Traumatic Stories
My family likes to purchase bookish gifts for our fellow bookworm friends, and sometimes my kids want to snag a little swag for themselves as well....
Alma Thomas: Black Artist Spotlight
Alma Thomas (September 22, 1891 – February 24, 1978) was an African American artist and teacher who lived and worked in Washington, D.C. and is now...
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Infusing Black History into a Traditional Charlotte Mason Homeschool
There is no way to honestly and thoroughly study United States history without including black history, and I think most home educators would agree...
Worldschooling in Athens, Greece
We just started and came to the end of what was supposed to be a 3-month worldschooling trip across Europe. Athens, Greece was our first stop, but...
The Unraveling of Our Worldschooling Trip
When we first started planning our 3-month European worldschooling adventure, I thought of the many things that could go wrong, and how I would...
Exposing Kids to Art, History, and Culture Without Tears
When I talk about some of the places I plan to take my kiddos while traveling internationally this spring, one of the questions that pops up is,...
African American Historical Fiction
I try to set high standards for the books I offer up to my children. Certainly, I want them to read the very best literature and hear ideas from the...
Worldschooling in Europe
Today is Day 1 of our next Worldschooling trip. We’ll be traveling around Europe for three months while studying local customs, food, language,...
Sharing My Homeschooling Journey With Others
I just jumped back into the saddle after taking a break from writing for much of this school year. But while you haven't heard much from me here,...
African American Folk Songs: Elizabeth Cotten
Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten (1895-1987), best known for her timeless song "Freight Train," built her musical legacy on a firm foundation of late 19th-...
African American Composer Study: Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin (November 24, 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an African-American composer and pianist. He achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was...
African American Poetry: Effie Lee Newsome
Effie Lee Newsome was one of the first African American poets who primarily published poems for children. She was the author of one volume of...
Cultivating Relationships With Living Authors
As I was writing this post, I kept stumbling on the title because "living" has an alternate meaning in the CM world. So let me start by saying that...
The Joy and Sorrows of Representation
You know how your closest friends know you so well that they can curate life for you? Knowing and being known is a major refrain in my friendships...
African American Picture Study: Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence (September 7, 1917 – June 9, 2000) was an American painter known for his portrayal of African-American life and is among the...
African American Picture Study: Horace Pippin
Horace Pippin (February 22, 1888 – July 6, 1946) was a self-taught African-American painter. He served in Europe during World War I where he lost...
Life Without Extracurricular Activities
The Freedom of an Empty Calendar. Saying Goodbye to the Hamster Wheel of Busyness. A Blissful Schedule. Any of these could be perfect titles for...
African American Picture Study: Romare Bearden
Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) was an African-American artist who worked with many types of media including cartoons, oils and...