Motivation is a very important consideration in teaching, whether one is teaching in a home school setting, or in any other  setting. A teacher can only teach. The student has to do the learning. If the student is not motivated to learn, the best teacher in the world can’t teach him.

I home schooled my own children for many years. As a home schooling mother, I have been concerned about motivation for all of those years. In 1995 I started Mother of Divine Grace School, which now has over 4600 students enrolled. I have, of course, had even more opportunities to think about motivation since then.

Donald Daniels (MODG dad) mentors St Monica's Rocketry club, a NASA Student Launch team that includes 2 MODG students (in a team of 11 homeschool members). They have been asked by NASA to participate in the NASA Student Launch in April 2018. In preparation for this they will be doing a Critical Design Review live with NASA on January 29th. They took 12th place at the Team America Rocketry Challenge in May (the first team in Connecticut to do so!).

On January 10th, Laura Berquist will be leading a one-hour class on the Primary Stage of Formation, exploring different family situations and how best to apply MODG methodology. Enrolled families can sign up through the family site (Seasonal Workshops - Stages of Formation). Non-enrolled families please contact our office.

MODG's Office will be closed from Christmas, December 25th through New Years Day, January 1st. May you have a blessed and merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

We are pleased to announce our new Kindergarten Art Book is now available for purchase in our bookstore. This 61 page text contains beautiful images, discussion questions, and many activities and games to achieve the formation goals of close observation and memorization. The paintings are carefully chosen to appeal to children. 

Malina Costello (MODG 6th Grader) raised $300 through her business "Little Miss Rose" to gift a cow through World Vision to a family in need. Malina designed a catalog for her business, contacted her parents’ friends, packaged and wrapped her products, and successfully raised the full 6 shares to purchase a dairy cow.

Madeline Custer (MODG 11th Grader) received the Bronze Congressional Medal from U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady. This provides recognition for the goals the recipients have reached in public service, personal development, physical fitness and exploration. Madeline is a senior acolyte at her parish and a proficient viola player having been invited to play with the Conroe Symphony Orchestra.

Hannah Voss (MODG class of 2014), current senior at Benedictine College is a finalist in the 2018 Rhodes Scholarship competition. The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and most celebrated international fellowship award in the world, and arguably the most famous academic award available to American college graduates.