To make a long story short(er) we had a very busy fall! As we prepare for our winter programs take a look at what we’ve been up to – and what we’re doing next…

We had a wonderful 2019…Time to prepare for our 2020 programs! Mi Families will be facilitating so many amazing multi-age and multi-generational programs this year! Parent partnerships, provider trainings, hero trainings / 1stAid, Marital arts & self defense groups, team building / game on clubs, Robotics, Social-Science courses, STEAM & sensory events,  Homeschool events/field trips/classes… “Arts & Action, Art Smart, All the Arts, Illustration, Movie Making, Drama / Rollplaying…”

For more information – and for information on when/where programs are held please email Christi@MiFamilies.com!

I can’t believe we’re heading into our 2nd half of this fall semester already! It’s time to start planning winter programs!

This fall we’re facilitating a self defense course for families and a  “Hero Training” 1st aid course for tweens and teens.  Older students are enjoying computer programming, Pixar animation, Illustration, and roll playing classes. Elementary students are learning about film making and participating in  “Game On” team builders.  Little learners are doing a social science program, and learning their ABC & 123’s thru “art smart.”

Besides our large and small group classes, we also offer one-on-one tutor-time sessions.  Our tutoring sessions are individualized, as is our “reaching out with resources” program. We’ve helped families find resources for developmental therapies, health care, food programs, holiday assistance… Email Christi@MiFamilies.com if there’s a resource your family is searching.

At this time of year many are searching for holiday assistance or simply ideas for holiday gift giving or looking for someone to take their family Christmas card photos.  Did you know that one of the programs we offer is family photography? We have a professional photographer booking fall family photos and senior pictures now.  He also does wedding photos and videos.

Our photographer / videographer happens to be an award winning director of photography/editor for films, documentaries, commercials etc – if you are searching for a someone to meet your video / photo needs let us know.  Some of the pics on this page are examples of his work.  Some are just fun pics from the last couple weeks of Mi Families and my family’s adventures.

My family invites your family to look into Mi Families program and let us know about programs you’d like us to add to our winter list.  Check out www.MiFamilies.com to see what we currently offer.  Network with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.  Follow us on Pinterest and YouTube.  You don’t want to miss our updates about the programs coming soon : youth classes, family events, parent workshops, provider trainings, resources … field trips … and more!

and 1 more thing / a few more pictures … of senior pic examples just taken :

Email JeffMorganMovies@gmail.com to schedule photography / videography sessions.

Mi Families (“my families”) facilitates programs for families and those who work with families.  My families facilitates provider trainings, parent workshops, family events, youth classes, tutoring, & developmental services. All programs have been uniquely designed based on requests and observations.

While working in homes, schools, and centers – as a counselor, teacher, curriculum writer, ABA tech, coach, etc… I have been able to observe what programs are needed and listened to what programs were being requested. I listened to providers, parents, and tots thru teens.  If I couldn’t reach out with the requested resource, I formed partnerships with people who could.

As Mi Families continues to grow programs – we continue to grow our partnerships. One of my partners happens to be my husband, who has worked with children thru adults in child and family service organizations and within community mental health.  He also teaches all ages martial arts, drama, film, illustration, computer programming, robotics, car repair, home repair…

My husband’s hat’s are many! He teaches around his film making career and helping me homeschool our 3 kiddos.  We never planned to homeschool, but here we are loving this lifestyle. We’re doing what works best for OUR family.  Each family, each child, is different – so different things work best for different families.

In decades of working with different children and their different families we have found no two families to be the same – and therefore don’t expect families to need the same resources to thrive.  Even in my classrooms no two students learn the same way – so each session there are multiple ways to learn objectives during our time together.

The past couple weeks I’ve been teaching different objectives to tots thru teens.  From all about me, to my family and friends, to our 5 senses and how we feel with our hands and our hearts … Little learners worked on reading “feeling faces,” the colors of emotion, their basic colors and shapes, counted up shape sides, and played number and letter games.

Older students played lots of learning games, participated in team work / communication games, and even survival training games that included shelter building, wilderness 1st aid lessons, and more.  These classes are a part of our homeschool co-op, as are many of my husbands courses. The pictures in this article showcase some of our co-op activities and some of “my life” activities.

If you have any questions regarding our homeschool life or live in Northern Michigan and want information regarding our homeschool co-op email me at Christi@MiFamilies.com … You can also email me regarding any of our programs.  Some of our partners can provide programs and reach out with resources state wide! More about our team of partners, team – members, family members who use our programs, and our programs can be found at www.MiFamilies.com.  We’re also available to network on LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!

Mi Students have fallin’ into the routine of their fall classes and our Mi Families schedule.

Mi Families (“my families”) LLC facilitates group classes and individualized tutoring programs for students of all ages.

From pregnant-parents to grand-parenting we facilitate parent workshops – as well as trainings for daycare providers and teachers.

We work with those who teach and care for children of all ages/stages, and offer classes for all ages/stages as well.

This week our littlest learners worked on developmental milestones through 1-on-1 services.

Our preschoolers and early elementary students joined us for ABC&123 smART class where we used art to reinforce core subjects.

In My World we also used art to learn school subjects, such as social studies and science, while exploring fall themes.

In all our classes we’re still getting to know more about each other through “All about Me, my Friends and Family” themes.

All students shared more about themselves and their families during our Wednesday classes at our Interlochen homeschool co-op.

Our co-op provides multi age classes where students of different ages/stages work together, like a family.

Like a family, or team, our older elementary and middle school/jr high work together through brain and body challenges in our Game On program.

Our jr high and high school students work as a team in our Hero Training program where we’re learning about safety 1st.

If you have a student in Hero Training please make sure they attend this week as we start our 1st aid lessons!

If you have a student in Game On please make sure you’re playing games with them at home encouraging sportsmanship.

If you have a student in our ABC123 smART class please review the letters A,B&C at home, as well as numbers 123.

In ABC123 smART we’ll also continue working our color recognition and start counting up shape sides.

We’ll use art and stories and music and movement in MY World next week as we continue learning about friends and families around the world.

In all our classes please dress according to the weather as sometimes we head outdoors for learning adventures.

Mi Families utilizes an “education through recreation” curriculum, which means even if we’re not outdoors we’re learning through fun and hands on activities.

Often these activities include painting, gluing, and using other messy materials so please dress appropriately to learn by making a mess!

Students in our programs will make a mess, make believe, and make memories, as they make new friends all semester long.

Students are encouraged to learn by using all their senses and all the supplies around them indoors and outside.

Students are encouraged to connect what they are learning about in the classroom with their studies at home.

If you need ideas on how to connect weekly topics at home feel free to email Christi@MiFamilies.com

Also feel free to email (or visit www.MiFamilies.com) if you’d like more information about these or other Mi Families programs.

Today was 80 degrees, but in a few day it’ll be officially fall. The temperatures will fall and the leaves will follow.  Until the leaves are gone families are busy going on field trips to pick apples and pumpkins … This year Mi Families (“my families”) has added some fun-fall-farm-field-trips to our schedule! Our schedule is already packed with provider trainings, parent workshops, and youth classes!

This semester we’ll continue providing individual tutor-time/developmental classes for tots to tweens, as well as large group classes for infants thru adults.  Some of our classrooms are over in Interlochen on Wednesdays.  On Wednesdays homeschoolers meet up to take all sorts of music classes, Spanish, gym, art … Mi Families is teaching “My World” which is a seasonal study program that that uses art projects to teach social-science.  Our ABC&123 smART class also uses art to teach core subjects

Both smART & My World classes can be modified for preschoolers thru elementary stage students.  For tweens and teens we also facilitate a self defense class and ” Hero Training / 1st aid ” lessons.  Older students also love our illustration course, learning computer programming / Pixar animation, and a roll playing club.

Although Mi Families has a team across Michigan, Christi and Jeff Morgan facilitate most of the northern Michigan programs using their decades of experiences and education in diverse fields.  Jeff Morgan is an award winning professional film maker who lets elementary & jr-high students learn movie-making skills on Wednesdays (besides sharing other hidden talents – encouraging students to find their own talents and strengths).

Elementary / Jr-high (or middle school) students also enjoy  “Game On” where they learn to  play and make games – indoors and outside. All our classes use indoor and outside environments for “education through recreation.” Recreation is what we do for fun – and in our classes we have fun learning! In our classes we have fun learning to love learning! This week we were learning back-to-school concepts at the homeschool co-op since our programs started later then the traditional school schedule. This week we did “Back 2 School” themes along side of “All about me and you” projects to get to know each other.

Since our semester is shortened this year we also squeezed in some lessons on Johnny Appleseed, the letter A, letter 0, the number zero, circles vs ovals … We talked about how shapes, numbers, and letters are made from lines and curves.  Little learners dived right into such core topics through theme based exploration.  Older students worked on individual and team projects and were encouraged to be a part of our school team – and find ways to be a team and conquer goals with their families.

One goal encouraged this semester is staying healthy and safe.  In schools we pick up a lot of germs and sadly safety is a always a concern … Even if we never need to use a fire drill, have a tornado, or experience a lock down – it’s good to talk with kids about what to do at school (or in other locations) during an emergency.  It’s also a good idea to talk about general safety and health lessons – because we stay calmer when we’ve prepared for emergencies AND we stay healthier when we learn to wash our hands and eat our veggies.

If we stay healthy and safe we can help others stay healthy and safe and become a team of happy-healthy-heroes!  Apparently “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” so that’s a smart start to staying healthy this fall.  If you’d like ideas how on how to turn apples and other fall themes into fun learning activities, or would like more information about our programs email Christi@MiFamilies.com

Our Fall article/update will be posted soon! Thanks for your patience as we add our programs to the calendar …

So far we are excited to offer new tutoring options – offered in community locations as well as at our homebase Sunday thru Tuesdays.  We also have Musical Mornings and Art smART classes at our homebase on Thursdays and Fridays.  Saturday Social – Science and Sensory studies are coming back as well!

Wednesdays we are excited to continue classes at the Interlochen school / Homeschool co-op.  Hr 1  4yr olds thru 4th graders are invited to our “My World” Social Science class. 2nd hr 2yr olds thru 2nd graders are invited to our ABC 123 smART class. 3rd hr 10 year old students and older can sign up for 1st Aid / Hero Training. 0-5 year old “little learners” and their parents are invited to a Parent Partnership group 4th hour.  3rd graders and up can come play Game On team builders 5th hr.  Click link below for more about our co-op classes:

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More classes descriptions, times, and information about other community collaborations will be posted soon! The leaves are starting to change and so are our programs! We had a wonderful Summer session, but are anxious to fall into fall fun!

It’s almost time for SUMMER SCHOOL!

Most students think of summer school as a punishment,

except my students! Especially my own kids!

Summer provides fun opportunities to learn about new things,

and explore deeper into individual interests.

Summer is a time for learning about growing!

During the summer months we grow more in our individual interests and talents.

As summer nears we are finishing up our unit on growing gardens.

We’ve been learning about the importance of nature, and especially about the importance of water.

This past week students have explored waterways, water transportation, water life…

Water life lessons have taught us amazing facts about amazing creatures.

Some lessons were taught through the Mother Goose Times “Bubbles, Boats, and Floats” theme.

MGT provides easy lesson planning for the littlest learners, while older students enjoy expanding on the units.

For example: while little learners focused in on what lives in water, older students learned more about animal habitats.

This summer students will have opportunities to learn and explore through top rated curriculums.

Students of (all ages) will discover how they learn best in our small groups and one-on-one programs.

This summer Mi Families will offer “education through recreation” groups,

as well as continue offering our individualized tutoring sessions.

Throughout the summer we’ll be planning our fall classes for homeschoolers,

as well as preparing for our fall provider trainings and parent workshops.

To learn more about our past, present, and future programs visit www.MiFamilies.com or

email Christi@MiFamilies.com to inquire about how your students can enjoy our summer school programs –

through focusing on their individual interests and talents!

What a wonder-filled-water-fun-week!

This week we continued learning about taking care of the earth – especially the earths water.

We learned about ways to conserve water and the importance of water.

We learned about animals that swim in the water and water transportation.

We created water transit and water life crafts.

Our littlest learners and older students love to create art together.

Many of our projects are opened ended with a process before product approach.

Many of our projects have a stage before age approach so those of all abilities can join in the fun.

All projects have a theme focus.  Our current theme is “Wonderful Water.”

Our littlest learners are using Mother Goose Time’s “Bubbles, Boats, & Floats” curriculum.

Many of the supplies pictured showcase MGT curriculum supplies.

Mi Families uses top rated curriculums for all our programs.

Mi Families facilitates programs for families and those who work with families.

Our programs for the youngest of family members include group classes and tutor sessions.

We also facilitate programs for parents and providers.

Provider trainings and parent workshops provide resources, such as curriculum reviews.

Mi Families reviews curriculums that build up brains and bodies!

Mi Families also creates curriculums encouraging “education through recreation.”

Recreation is defined as an “activity done for enjoyment when one is not working.”

One can argue that learning is work, but learning should also be fun.

One should enjoy learning throughout their life.

No matter our age we should want to learn new things and explore new places.

If would like more information about our adventurous learning programs visit www.MiFamilies.com or email Christi@MiFamilies.com … If you’d like more information about the curriculum mentioned in this post visit www.MotherGooseTime.com

It’s natural to be curious about nature.

Mi Families uses natural and nature based learning in many of our programs.

Mi Families (“my families”) facilitates youth programs, parent workshops, provider trainings…

Many of our programs have an “education through recreation” curriculum.

Our curriculums have a natural flow transitioning through themes.

Our littlest learners loved transitioning from the bug theme to growing gardens.

While exploring gardening we began learning about the importance of water.

Our multi age programs use the same themes but simplify/expand on unit lessons.

While little learners wondered about water, older students built water ways.

While learning about water ways and landforms, students discussed ways to care for our world.

We use top rated curriculums for our lessons, such as Mother Goose Time.

MGT provides a monthly theme-based curriculum, such as “Bubbles, boats & floats.”

MGT can be easily modified for tots to learn new concepts, while tweens dive deeper into subject matters.

All subjects are taught through hands on activities using a stage before age approach.

All subjects are taught using our STREAMS acronym:

Science, Technology, Reading (&wRiting), Engineering, Arts, (Music&) Math, Social Studies (&hiStory).

All subjects are available in our large and small classes, as well as in our small group and individualized tutoring sessions.

The pictures posted were from this past weeks youth programs.

Next week we’ll continue enjoying our wet&wacky adventures.

Next week we’ll wonder about the uses of water, what lives in water, and about water transportation.

We’ll continue learning about ways to appreciate and conserve water!

Students may get wet and messy during our activities so please dress accordingly.

From the youngest to the oldest all students explore learning materials.

Even in our parent workshops and provider trainings –  adults explore materials.

Adults learn how to teach when they actively explore materials and play with students.

This week challenge yourself to explore materials and the world with your kids.

If you’d like information on our adult – or youth – programs visit www.MiFamilies.com

Also email Christi@MiFamiles.com for more information.

Feel free to email for more information on the curriculums we use – or visit www.MotherGooseTime.com for information on many of the products pictured!

I meant to write over the past couple days, but my family kept me busy for Mothers day weekend.

Last week kids in our programs were busy making mothers day gifts and finding ways to thank their mom’s and the special ladies in their lives.

Last week we also were busy thanking Mother Nature and finding ways to take care of the natural resources around us.

We finished our eARTh ART projects and began our transition to Water World activities.  Starting with the importance of water – for drinking, washing, growing flowers…

ALL of our programs last week started planting projects.  We planted during provider trainings, parent workshops, tot to teen classes…

Even my own kids started our garden at our home-based location.  They picked seeds, researched soil, learned about garden critters…

We learned about the importance of some critters being in the garden and keeping some, like bunnies, out of the garden.

We reused some past Mother Goose Time curriculum supplies in our home and school projects, to help us transition themes.

Last month MGT’s Bees and Butterflies is currently transitioning to this months “Bubbles, Boats, and Floats” theme.

After learning how bees help the flowers and flowers help the earth – we learned other ways to help flowers, such as watering them.

We also learned ways to help the earth by reusing old supplies and materials in new ways. We talked about reusing, reducing, recycling – and conserving resources.

We talked about ways to conserve water and why rainy days are good for the earth.  We also talked about looking for rainbows on rainy days.

Often before doing projects in classrooms I enlist help from my own kids to help with lesson planning and try out proposed crafts.

My 2 1/2 year old LOVED making the rainbow from our MGT supplies.  She loves any reason to practice her cutting and gluing skills.

After cutting the pieces she glued them into place and got her hands reallllllly sticky! She decided she doesn’t like cotton stuck to her hands.

She loved the final project through and will help teach the other preschoolers how to assemble it in our PLAYschool class later this week.

In PLAYschool, Art Smart, and other classes and tutoring programs – we use MGT and other top rated curriculums in various ways.

We often do crafts, play outside, and explore sensory tables in our programs so please dress accordingly for our “education through recreation” activities.

If you would like to learn more about our activities and programs please visit www.MiFamilies com or email me at Christi@MiFamilies.com

This week we’ll continue learning about the wonderful world of water  –  as we make bubbles washing while we do our spring cleaning – and transition into other water activities and water life (Using the MGT curriculum).

If you’d like to learn more about the Mother Goose Time curriculum in video/photos CLICK HERE!