The Little Way Academy: Guiding Your Catholic Lifestyle And Homeschooling Journey

Catholic Education

Welcome to our Catholic-centered homeschool and lifestyle haven. I believe that our main job as parents is to lead our and our family members' souls to heaven. Everything else is an extra that should be placed under that main goal.

Being brought to Earth to learn and get to know God, live for others, and enjoy His creation; we are still called to live in the world. Living in the world but being not of this world, requires certain skills and knowledge only parents, under the guidance of our Lord, can teach.

The whole idea behind this ministry-business is to create a flexible curriculum that I can use with my own kids, and share it with you so you can do the same. I also hope to receive as many suggestions and interactions as possible, so we can all build this community and learn from one another. Let's begin!

Bible Inspired

Committing to the Tradition of the Catholic Church, we use the Ascension Press "The Great Adventure" Bible in our household to read from for daily readings and to learn about the context of the different stories through their detailed bible study guide.

We strive to live our lives surrounded by God's greatness and taking advantage of every minute. We have started listening to Father Mike Schmitz's podcast Bible in a Year, we complement our independent unit studies with a light 15-ish minute podcast episode every time we are in the car.

The use of bible verses to grow in the Faith and as a person are the baseline for every other study. It is my goal to learn from the word of God as well as draw from it for our daily life circumstances in which we need some advice or wisdom words.

Liturgically Paced

  Celebrating feast days is another way to spice up our daily routine. It is easy to live within the main seasons like Christmas and Easter, but taking the time to make something special every day (or select days) brings a sense of excitement and provides ample opportunities for learning.

For example, for the feast day of different saints you can make a special meal based on their country of birth; you can develop a history lesson based on their life and accomplishments; you can make a craft that represents their patronage; go for an outing that would make everyone experience how that saint lived; etc.

Some ideas for the above are cooking a Chilean empanada for the feast day of Saint Teresa of Los Andes; learn about the "Hundred Years' War" while celebrating Saint Joan of Arc; making a key holder for Saint Peter; and going to a petting zoo to immerse yourselves into the lifestyle of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Family Centered

  As a former teacher I know the value of time while learning, and I also know that you don't need 8 hours a day of schooling, especially if you are teaching your kids skills for them to learn how to learn independently.

  My goal is to be able to complete homeschooling in 3-4 hours tops and it must be flexible enough to handle baby naps, toddler interruptions, hands-on learning with elementary students, and lengthy readings for higher grade levels.

 Among the many ideals I try to instill in my homeschooling and lifestyle 'curriculum' I strive for everything to revolve around our prayer and spiritual life and then around our family's schedule. It is important to understand that the facts are online and in books and it is not always worth it to spend hours memorizing factual elements, but rather spend the time with stories, making memories and developing skills.

Sacramentally Guided

Every Sunday is reserved for the Lord and our family. We try to avoid banal activities and strive to keep our Sabbath sacred. We participate from the Mass, receive the Holy Eucharist, practice regular confession and follow the sequence of Sacraments that gift us the grace of God.

A proper sacrament-guided life will ensure we take charge of our main goal of leading our souls to heaven and commit to leaving a life of avoiding sin and confessing our weaknesses. Living a sacramentally guided life pushes us to works of charity and fighting for social justice.

Charlotte Mason Inspired

The main approach we embrace is the active student and the view of the teacher as a guide. In here the student is the one actively seeking to learn with the help of a teacher that either encourages their interests, or exposes them to different interesting situations that spark curiosity.

In spite of the fact that I started as an eclectic type of mom-teacher, I now lean very heavily towards the Charlotte mason philosophy, while adding a few unit studies every once in a while which is very helpful, especially for families with multiple kids in different age groups.

Charlotte Mason believed education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life. Her approach is centered on forming the whole person-intellect, spirit, and character- through rich ideas, living books, and the cultivation of good habits.

For Catholic families like ours, this aligns naturally with the Church's view of education as a means of leading a child to truth, beauty, and ultimately, to God

I like to understand her approach as based in seven pillars:

1. Living Books, Not Textbooks: The use of high-quality, narrative-rich literature across all subjects—books that “live” and inspire, rather than dry textbooks. For us, this includes classic saint biographies, Church history, and theology written with beauty and depth.

2. Habit Formation: Charlotte emphasized the formation of virtuous habits (attention, obedience, diligence), which echoes with our moral training and virtues like humility, charity, and fortitude.

3. Short, Focused Lessons: Keep lessons brief (10–30 minutes depending on age) to maintain attention and avoid mental fatigue—allowing time for prayer, family life, and contemplation.

4. Nature Study and the Sacramental Worldview: Regular time in nature helps children develop a sense of awe and reverence. Catholic families can integrate this with a sacramental worldview, seeing creation as a reflection of God’s glory.

5. Narration as a Tool of Learning: Children retell what they’ve read or learned in their own words. This builds memory, attention, and language skills—while also mirroring the tradition of oral storytelling and catechesis or even prayer memorization and reciting.

6. Education Is the Science of Relations: Children should form living connections with God, man, and the created world. Catholic homeschooling can deepen this by placing Christ at the center, fostering relationships with the saints, sacred Scripture, and the liturgical year.

7. Respect for the Child as a Person: Mason’s vision honors the dignity of each child as made in God’s image. This resonates deeply with Catholic teaching on the inherent worth and spiritual destiny of every human soul.

Choosing the Charlotte Mason approach as a Catholic family is really about embracing a way of life—one that weaves together beauty, truth, and faith in a natural, life-giving way. It’s not just about academics, but about helping our children grow in virtue, wonder, and a deep love for God and the world He made. With good books, time in nature, and a rhythm shaped by the Church year, this method offers a peaceful, meaningful path for raising kids who are curious, thoughtful, and rooted in our faith.

Thanks for visiting and God Bless.

Maria Ignacia