What inspired you to homeschool your children, and how long have you been homeschooling them? (Please mention why you pulled your kids out of a traditional school.)
We never considered homeschooling until Covid. Both of my kids were in daycare from 9 months old. However, 2 weeks after the school closed we noticed our oldest was a different child. She was calmer, happier, she stopped throwing tantrums. Our home was so much more peaceful. That started our journey down all the rabbit holes of education. I spent the whole summer just learning everything I could about homeschooling & k-12 education - note I was doing this as a public University Educator. My kids were already at an alternative education, traditional Montessori School. Yet, it still wasn't serving them in the way that our home life could. Also, I was so much happier myself just being around my children. We put the kids back into school in the Fall of 2020 but I told my husband there had never been a better time to try homeschooling. My job was still mostly remote and in general the University was still not fully awake. We pulled them out Thanksgiving 2020 and started homeschooling in January 2021. Even though a lot of 2021 was deschooling and figuring out what education style worked for my kids, we've been homeschooling for 2 1/2 years. My youngest will have always been homeschooled and my oldest really only did kinder and part of first grade before we pulled her.
How have your children benefited from homeschooling compared to what you think they might have experienced in traditional school?
My kids were in a traditional Montessori school for daycare & my oldest for kindergarten and sorta half of first grade (Covid). The biggest difference initially was the care I was able to give my oldest in managing her anxiety and fears associated with school work. However, as we keep going I think teaching strong values (being caring/kind, valuing hard work, gratitude) is one of the most wonderful things I get to express to them. I also get to let them pursue more of things that excite them. My oldest loves literature so I'm keeping her in great books and have her on a curriculum that builds to the great classics. My youngest loves all things ancient. It started with dinosaurs but it's morphed into any and everything historical. We have a strong history curriculum for her with tons of project based learning.
How do you think the social experiences of homeschooling compare to those of traditional schooling, and how do you ensure that your children are developing strong social skills through homeschooling?
Two things. First, I get to work very closely with my kids to teach them strong social skills. How to work through conflict in a healthy way. How to use their words to get what they need (not necessarily what they want). Second, my kids have long, uninterrupted time for play with friends. They rarely see friends for less than 3 hour blocks. Thus, they get to form deeper, stronger relationships.
What learning philosophy do you follow in your homeschooling approach, and how do you tailor it to the individual needs and learning styles of your children?
I am using the best of everything. I love the well-trained mind which is about classical education. The history spine there is excellent as well as pairing great literature with the time periods you are studying. I also use a literature spine that builds to the great works in high school by covering important themes when they are young. If you want your high school children to be able to read Jane Erye or the Illiad, you have to build them up to that. For math, I use a spiral-based approach which has been shown to be the best for solidifying learning into long-term memory. It includes lots of riddles/projects. I also have Montessori materials for kids to truly get the conceptual math. My husband and I are both scientists so honestly, my kids have more science than they know what to do with. I've literally taught them things I teach my undergraduates in college. Finally, I love Peter Gray's work "free to learn" where he talks about the importance of play. That is incorporated throughout. We are constantly evolving and following the children's lead to make things better and better.
What are some of the most valuable things you've learned from homeschooling your children, and how have those experiences shaped your approach to parenting and education?
I've learned so much about history, literature, and how reading works. I've fallen in love with learning how kids learn. I've loved learning so I can teach it to my kids. I've also learned how important play is for children - and adults. Homeschooling has changed me deep inside - all for the better.
What problems do you see with the traditional school system, and how do those problems impact our children's education and well-being?
Every child is unique. Teachers have 25+ students to work with. You can't effectively learn with a teacher who doesn't have time for you. Kids need one-on-one care. That doesn't go away as they age. I work with University students all the time who can not write. I work with them one-on-one to perfect their writing. It's how it should be done. I can work with many students at a time but not 50! The educational system is not set up to help individual kids become the best that they can be. I love the microschool movement because it seeks to find that middle ground too. There are a lot of great things coming and I hope parents will start to take advantage of them.
Work Life:
How do you balance your roles as a university professor and homeschooling parent, and what challenges have you faced in doing so?
It was easy at first because my work was less in their 2 years post-covid. Now, things are back to normal - actually even more hectic than pre-covid. I've found it very hard to manage both. I homeschool in the mornings and work from 2 onwards. My husband does the reverse. I worry the kids aren't getting the best from me and I'm still working on finding the best way to make it all work. I can go into more detail on this if you are interested.
Could you tell us about your weekly newsletter, Science of Kids, and how you hope to make a difference in the lives of parents and children through your work in education and research?
It is important to me to be of value. There are already so many amazing homeschool parents out there (you included) who are helping connect people and doing such a great job. I wanted to find something that fit my expertise that could also be helpful. As a scientist, I have access to all the journals and can quickly read articles. Thus, I started compiling the literature into quick reads for people. I've covered reading, parenting, play among other things.
In terms of my research, my biggest focus is trying to figure out how to help students with mental health disorders. 50% of Engineering students screen positive for a mental health disorder. How do we ensure that these students are successful. In addition, we need to understand the things that are driving these issues in college-aged students. My most recent project is looking at the best pedagogical (teaching) techniques to reduce stress/anxiety in the classroom while increasing grades and attendance.
Homeschooling allows me to help my children find peace with their school work. I hope to help kids who didn't have such a peaceful k-12 experience to find that peace as a young adult.
Resources:
As a homeschooling parent, what is your go-to resource or source of inspiration for lesson plans and educational activities?
As I mentioned above, I use the best of everything I can get my hands on. Things I use a lot are
- Well trained mind - by Susan Bauer
- The good and the Beautiful - math and language arts
- Memoria press - literature & read alouds (expanding to writing when they are older)
- The story of the world (though I supplement this heavily to ensure the East is covered heavily enough)
- Kiwi crates/Crunch labs (science kits)
- Youtube - music & art lessons, tours of the ancient sites as well as videos of the great art around the world
Who are three (or more) homeschoolers or education experts that you recommend people follow and learn from, and why do you find their work valuable?
The people who have influenced me the most aren't really on social media
Susan Bauer (author well-trained mind), Classical Et Cetera( Memoria Press's podcast), School Sucks Podcast, Exploring Unschooling (podcast), Peter Gray (author free to learn), deschool yourself (podcast)
All of these groups have opened my mind to what education can be. None of them would agree with each other. They offer a wide-ranging and very different perspectives which has helped me find my own best fit.
Who are three homeschoolers (or homeschooling families) that you would recommend as potential interview subjects, and why?
I would recommend Kaity Broadbent (@KaityBroadbent) or Kelly Smith (@kellysmithinaz) they are the founders of @prendalearn, Kerry McDonald (@Kerry_edu), and Hannah Frankman (@HannahFrankman).
What advice would you give to parents who are considering homeschooling but are unsure of where to start or how to approach the process?
- find a good book or podcast and learn
- find someone to talk to that is currently making it work (even better if they have older kids)
- just get started. If it doesn't work, you can always go back. 6 months won't harm your kids but it might change their (and your) life.