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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
African American Biographies & Memoirs (1900s)
African American biographies and memoirs are critical components of our history lessons. In my book A PLACE TO BELONG, I write, "Biographies help us...
Black History Children’s Books (1900s)
Black history children's books covering some of the major people and events of the 20th century are a superb addition to modern history lessons. I...
Promoting Division in the Homeschooling World
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be hunted? To have people sniffing around, salivating, waiting for you to say or do something “wrong” so...
Why Our Worldschooling Trip Ended Early
After our previous worldschooling trip unraveled, my family was ecstatic about the opportunity to head out on the road for a redemptive adventure....
African History Picture Books
Finding African history picture books has not been easy. It's difficult to find age-appropriate literature that teaches my children about African...
Worldschooling in Ghana: Part 2
While worldschooling in Accra, Ghana, we participated in a wonderful cultural immersion program. After that ended, we moved into different...
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Teaching Colorism: The Power of a Story (Part 2)
Last week, I defined the term and described how colorism personally impacts my family on a regular basis, and I promised a booklist. The feedback...
Homeschooling Through the Coronavirus Pandemic: An Interview With PBS NewsHour
The sudden onslaught of homeschooling families due to the pandemic has shifted the community in positive ways. It has brought heightened awareness...
Teaching Colorism: The Power of a Story (Part 1)
My husband and I are the exact same shade of brown - so much so that we've been mistaken for siblings more times than I can count. We have four...
Podcast: Preparing for Homeschool
I was excited to have the opportunity to chat with Alyssa from Seed & Sew this week! As a guest on her Voices of Your Village podcast, I had the...
Seasons in the Life of a Charlotte Mason Homeschool Mom
Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post from a Charlotte Mason mom with a wealth of experience - both with life and homeschooling. I...
Podcast & Blog: The Promises of Poetry
Poetry was never my thing. I didn't dislike it or despise it. I was simply indifferent. However, despite having neither interest nor nostalgia to...
Podcast: How to Diversify Your Classic Literature Library
"In the past, a lot of focus was put on being "color blind," but now that we know better, we want our children to have "color-full" experiences, and...
Video: “A Homeschool Invitation” Interview
I had a great time chatting with Kerry Ann Todd when she interviewed me for her new Homeschool Invitation series. We talked about the one piece of...
Soul Food: Picture Books About Cooking and Family
To say that food is important to my extended family would be an incredible understatement. Food is the undercurrent of all of our activities and a...
Scheduling My Charlotte Mason Homeschool Day
After posting a picture of my kids' notebooks and independent work checklists on Instagram earlier this week, I received many requests for a...
Redefining the Charlotte Mason “Feast”
Hey there! Can we talk for a minute? We all know that Charlotte Mason uses food as a metaphor for knowledge throughout her volumes, and the...
An Atmosphere of Learning Bundle
I’ve teamed up with some amazing creators to provide this curated bundle of Charlotte Mason resources JUST FOR YOU! The Atmosphere of Learning...
Video: Pros & Cons of Classic Books
Last week, I had the chance to chat with my new friend Katie Chancellor from Learning Through Literature, and it was so fun! We discussed the pros...
Yes, Even Shakespeare Can Be a Mirror
I'm the first to admit that Shakespeare was not something I was dying to teach my children. I remembered reading some of it in high school, and I...
A Bouquet of Brown: African American Picture Books With Kids Just Being Kids
When selecting titles for our bookshelves, I search trusted lists, read reviews, and listen to the recommendations of friends – both old and new....
Heritage Packs: Adding Color to Your Curriculum
It's no secret that most homeschool curricula is lacking in...well...color. There is certainly room for many lesson plan providers to grow in that...